Tag: RB

Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire takes best shot at comparing Ed Orgeron, Andy Reid

I think that Clyde Edwards-Helaire might be onto something with his comparison between Andy Reid and Ed Orgeron.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs for just a few months. In his young career, he’s had quite the pair of college and NFL coaches. He went from playing for one of the most respected coaches in college football in Ed Orgeron to playing for one of the most respected coaches in the NFL in Andy Reid.

Edwards-Helaire has spent just a few minutes in the presence of Reid due to the pandemic. That makes it a bit hard to compare the two coaches, yet he’s still noticing a few similarities between Reid and his former LSU coach.

“It’s hard to compare and contrast,” Edwards-Helaire told reporters about Orgeron and Reid. “The 15 minutes that I was able to sit next to Coach Reid in my combine meeting, you still can’t get a temperament on a person. But as far as right now, Coach O is the punch yourself in the face type of guy. And Coach Reid, from the videos and everything that I’ve seen, he can get fired up. He can make some things happen. That’s what I love about a coach, he’s completely genuine. Right now that’s all I have for you.”

Orgeron has the reputation of being a passionate and enthusiastic coach, so I imagine that’s what Edwards-Helaire means when he calls him a “punch yourself in the face type of guy.” As for the comparison between Reid and Orgeron, I like the point that Edwards-Helaire brings up — They’re both unapologetically genuine people. They’re straight shooters who aren’t going to tell you what you want to hear. Instead, they’ll be honest with you, work you hard and make you a better football player and a better person.

Maybe Edwards-Helaire will have a more thorough evaluation of Coach Reid once they finally hit the practice field, but I have a feeling he’s already gotten to the crux of the comparison.

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Clyde Edwards-Helaire feeling sense of déjà vu in Chiefs RB room

Edwards-Helaire worked alongside some great running backs at LSU. Now he’ll do the same in Kansas City.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire feels right at home in the Kansas City Chiefs RB room. In some ways, it’s almost a sense of déjà vu for Edwards-Helaire. He feels like he’s been in this exact spot before.

He’s been surrounded by a number of talented players during his college career. Each of those players made their own mark on Edwards-Helaire’s growth as a running back. He’s now going through that same process in Kansas City, joining a position group that is loaded with talent and knowledge.

“It’s just like I’m in the same position I was three years ago,” Edwards-Helaire told reporters during Friday afternoon’s media availability. “I was going into a college football room where Leonard [Fournette] had just left and I was in a room with Derrius Guice, Darrel Williams — who is actually in the room now — and Nick Brossette. I had guys, I was going into a stacked room again and ultimately I went in to learn. That’s the biggest thing — If you can learn from guys who have experienced the things that you’re about to encounter, you can only benefit from it.”

Now Edwards-Helaire has come to the Chiefs RB room to learn from the likes of Damien Williams, Darrel Williams, Darwin Thompson and DeAndre Washington. He’s trying to soak up all the information he can from the veterans in the room. He recognizes that he’s the rookie in the group and that his most important job right now is learning.

“I’m the young guy in the room,” Edwards-Helaire explained. “I’m 21 years old, and right now I’m learning. I’m a rookie, so I’m staying in my place and I’m doing what I need to do.”

As things progress, Edwards-Helaire will rely on his football foundation to help him through learning Andy Reid’s offense in Kansas City. But he’ll also rely on his teammates, who he’s competing with, to help him prepare for what comes next.

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Deland McCullough details Chiefs RB position battle in 2020 offseason

It sounds like the Kansas City Chiefs are leaving their options open at the running back position.

Kansas City Chiefs running backs coach Deland McCullough is leaving his options open when it comes to his position group.

The team drafted LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire at No. 32 overall. It was a move that excited Coach McCullough, who stayed in touch with Edwards-Helaire throughout the pre-draft process. He didn’t have control over the Chiefs’ draft pick, but he kept faith that Edwards-Helaire would be the guy.

“I like his short-area quickness, I like his ability to make guys miss in short spaces,” McCullough told reporters on Thursday. “I like the fact that he makes the first guy miss either by just outright making him miss or running through him. Probably the No. 1 thing, his disposition, his demeanor, and his football mind. He’s very smart. It has been evident in what we’ve seen in the combine process and everything leading up to the draft. He has not disappointed at all during the process with all the virtual meetings and that.”

McCullough isn’t interested in naming starters or hammering down roles for Kansas City. He believes all of that will work itself out once the players are able to get on the field. Right now, he’s committed to making sure that his players have the tools to do everything the offense requires of them.

“Everybody in this offense, all of the halfbacks need to be able to do everything,” McCullough said. “They need to be able to everything and everything will sort itself out from there. Clyde [Edwards-Helaire], he’s not going to be pigeon-holed — this guy is a third-down back or this guy is this or this guy is that. He’s going to take on everything that the offense has and then we’re going to let the chips fall where they may. . . Again a room full of great competitors, a bunch of great players, guys who can do a bunch of things. And the beauty of this is, once we’re able to get back on the field, we’ll be able to sort out where guys fall. In the meantime, every man in that room is preparing to do everything.”

Whether the Chiefs settle on a workhorse running back or a committee approach remains to be seen. McCullough, however, is confident that he has a room full of talented and capable players. He knows that they’ll all compete and collectively elevate the level of play for the position group.

“You want to get all these guys out there and get going and see what we’ve got,” McCullough explained. “One thing we know is just looking at some guys’ pasts and some snapshots we got of guys, whether it be DeAndre Washington, obviously with Darrel [Williams] and Damien [Williams], and Darwin [Thompson] with us. And then you look at where we draft Clyde [Edwards-Helaire] and what his body of work was in college, you know that we’ve got some high-end players. I know with the guys that are returning — [those are] some guys that we feel comfortable with. But again, you always want to continue to enhance the room and create competition and just raise the level of the room. I think that’s what we have done.”

Things sound about as close to an open competition as Kansas City has seen at the running back position as they’ve been in recent years.

“How it all shakes out ultimately, we’re going to let that play out on the football field,” McCullough said. “That’s the beauty of our game. We get a chance to go out and see what is what. The whole room knows that and these guys are looking forward to it. They get along well, very competitive, however, very supportive also. And they know at the end of the day, what they do is going to speak to where their role is when the season gets started. I’m looking forward to that.”

What McCullough’s players accomplish during the virtual offseason will help them once they’re finally able to hit the field. Guys are getting antsy, but if they take care of their business now, it’ll help once they finally get a chance to practice and compete with their teammates.

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WATCH: Texas running back Roschon Johnson showcases footwork

Roschon Johnson is experiencing his first offseason of preparation as a running back.

The backfield at Texas is loaded with talent. Continue reading “WATCH: Texas running back Roschon Johnson showcases footwork”

LOOK: Custom Super Bowl LIV chain made for Chiefs RB Darrel Williams

A very nice way to celebrate becoming a Super Bowl champion for the Kansas City Chiefs running back.

Kansas City Chiefs RB Darrel Williams apparently got himself a nice present to celebrate becoming a Super Bowl champion.

Shafiq Ali of Oxford Diamonds, better known by the moniker Suny the Jeweler, designed a custom Super Bowl LIV chain and pendant for Williams. Suny is based in Atlanta, Georgia and has become one of the top jewelry designers for NFL players over the years, working with players across the league.

The pendant has a custom Super Bowl 54 logo with the No. 31 worn by Williams. The chain and pendant appear to be adorned with 30 carats of diamonds or more.

Check it out:

 

While Williams didn’t get an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl, finishing the 2019 season on injured reserve, he played a meaningful role during the regular season. He appeared in 12 games for the Chiefs, carrying the ball 41 times and adding another 15 receptions. He finished the season with 308 total yards and four touchdowns.

Williams is on the final year of a three-year $1.725 million contract that he signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent out of LSU in 2018. He’s expected to play a meaningful role as a mentor to his former LSU teammate and Chiefs’ first-round draft pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

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Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy calls Clyde Edwards-Helaire ‘a piece of the puzzle’

It sounds like another running back by committee situation is shaping up for the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Kansas City Chiefs added LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but if you’re expecting him to come in and immediately become a bell-cow, you’re probably going to end up disappointed.

Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is uniquely situated to speak on the running back room as a former running backs coach for the Chiefs. When Bieniemy spoke to the media on Tuesday, he began by praising the evaluators for finding a player with Edwards-Helaire’s character and work ethic.

“One thing is, Veach and his entire staff did a great job of evaluating the kid,” Bieniemy began. “Collectively as a coaching staff, we felt we did a great job of evaluating the talent. But on top of that — and I think this is more important than anything — we know the person. We know one thing that the kid is going to do. He’s going to come in and work his tail off.” 

Bieniemy quickly shifted gears to focus on Edwards-Helaire’s role within the running back group. Right now, it seems they’re focused on getting him coached up, not only by the coaching staff but the veteran players on the team. This isn’t shaping up to be a one-man show, but rather another running back by committee situation in the 2020 NFL season.

“He’s just going to be a piece of the puzzle,” Bieniemy explained of Edwards-Helaire. “You’ve got Damien Williams who did a hell of a job for us last year. He’s also going to have an opportunity to play with one of his former teammates [Darrel Williams]. Then we have Darwin [Thompson]. Then we have the young kid who played with the Oakland Raiders in DeAndre Washington. So we have a unique situation, where he can come in and have an opportunity to learn from a collective group. But also, we want to make sure we’re utilizing him the right way and making sure that he is mentally prepared to go when it is time to go.”

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Edwards-Helaire and other rookies are in a unique situation where they’re missing out on physical and mental repetitions. Some of those learning moments from teammates will be critical in Edwards-Helaire’s ability to make up for lost practice time.

Bieniemy cites what Edwards-Helaire does on the football field as special. He also notes that Edwards-Helaire has some of the special intangible traits that make up a professional in this game. Those will perhaps help him see the field more quickly than others would.

“I think the kid is just a special kid,” Bieniemy said. “You’ve seen the things we’ve done on tape as far as running the ball, having the ability to get outside in the open field and make some plays as a receiver. You can create matchups with him. He’s one of those ideal kids that fit in what we do. So having him as a part of the puzzle, think about it. He gets to go out there and play with Pat Mahomes, Travis Kelce. He gets an opportunity to learn from Damien Williams. He gets the opportunity to learn from DeAndre Washinton. He gets an opportunity to play with Sammy Watkins and all those guys. So I think with his talent, and also his attitude, his determined mindset and the professionalism that he brings to the organization, I think that’s going to help him to be even better. I think the kid has got some special traits, but I also believe that our players are going to help him to grow to become even more of a special contributor when it is all said and done with.”

At the end of the day, the thing which will help Edwards-Helaire see the field most quickly is his ability to pick up the protection schemes. We saw it last season with veteran RB LeSean McCoy, you need to understand the protection calls in order to see the field.

If Edwards-Helaire can help block and protect Patrick Mahomes, he’ll be utilized much more often early on in his career.

“We’ve had this discussion with him,” Bieniemy said about Edwards-Helaire and pass protection. “And you know what, sometimes you see college kids. Sometimes you see them put some good stuff on tape, sometimes you see them put some poor stuff on tape. The thing that we do know is that he does have the willingness to block and he understands that’s a huge asset that’s going to help him to get him on the field. One thing I will say, he does have the attitude and mindset to get it done. So I’m not concerned with that, Coach Deland [McCullough] is going to do a great job of making sure that he is physically prepared to get that done.”

Pass protection is one thing that Edwards-Helaire previously talked about as an area he sought to improve during the 2019 season at LSU, so you’ve already seen the willingness to learn and get better. So long as he keeps that attitude and mindset as Bieniemy claims he has, he’ll get better in that area in the NFL. During this unique offseason, however, it’s hard to tell if that will be enough to help Edwards-Helaire get on the field often as a rookie.

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Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire among best bets for Offensive Rookie of the Year

Touchdown Wire likes Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s chances to become Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020.

Kansas City Chiefs first-round draft pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire is a favorite of many to become a star during his rookie campaign. Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar recently named Edwards-Helaire among his 15 best bets to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award for the 2020 NFL season. Farrar has Edwards-Helaire with the second-best chances to only No. 1 overall draft pick Joe Burrow, with whom Edwards-Helaire is very familiar. Here is a look at what was said about Edwards-Helaire’s chances of winning the award:

“The Chiefs managed to win their first Super Bowl in 50 years with the NFL’s most explosive offense, and that was without the home run threat at running back they’d had in Kareem Hunt before Hunt’s off-field issues prompted his release. Edwards-Helaire, who was the glue that held LSU’s national championship offense together in 2019, is an ideal cog in Andy Reid’s offense, because he can do everything from working through inside runs to lining up wide as a primary target for Patrick Mahomes. This might be the best bet for OROY in 2020. Of course, there is the matter of Edwards-Helaire’s former quarterback…“

The Chiefs have never had an Offensive Rookie of the Year since the Associated Press began assigning the award in 1967. A total of 36 running backs have been selected to become the Offensive Rookie of the Year during that span, the most recent selection at the position being Giant RB Saquon Barkley in 2018.

Edwards-Helaire has the benefit of joining a team that is fresh off a Super Bowl victory. Kansas City returns 20-of-22 players from their starting lineup and added some unique skillsets to the mix as well. They could perhaps be improved on both sides of the ball from a season ago.

While some are concerned that Damien Williams will still get the majority of touches at the running back position in Kansas City, Andy Reid has a way about getting the players with the best skillsets on the field. Edwards-Helaire’s ability to be a mismatch in the passing game is too good for him to be warming the bench. He also is a big-time threat in the RPO game, which makes him a valuable asset for an offense that uses them more than any other team in the NFL.

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Report: Chiefs RB Damien Williams robbed in Los Angeles

A scary situation involving Chiefs’ RB Damien Williams occurred over the weekend in Los Angeles.

Kansas City Chiefs RB Damien Williams was the victim of a robbery over the weekend at a Los Angeles Airbnb.

According to the initial report from TMZ, Williams and several guests had just checked into a high-priced Airbnb in Los Angeles when three intruders broke into the property through the back door. The robbers made off with roughly $1,000 in cash according to the report.

Most importantly, neither Williams or the other guests at the Airbnb were injured. The Kansas City Star’s Sam McDowell confirmed this portion of the report adding that Williams is “doing fine.” While Williams and his guests weren’t injured, they were threatened by the three men.

The police are currently investigating the incident, surveilling any camera footage from the nearby area in an attempt to identify and find the robbers.

It’s unclear at this time if Williams was targeted specifically or this home was the target of burglary, with Williams and others getting caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s also not clear why Williams was in Los Angeles.

Thankfully, Williams wasn’t injured and the material objects lost can be replaced, but a scary situation involving the Chiefs’ starting running back nonetheless.

Which players does Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire model his game after?

Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire has an appreciation for classic running backs.

When you’re an up and coming player in football, it’s common practice to look at some of the best current and former players in the game. You’ll try and take pieces of their game, the things that made them great, and add those to your repertoire. New Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire is no exception.

Edwards-Helaire recently told team reporter BJ Kissel that there are only a few players currently in the NFL that he watches and tries to model his game after.

“This past year, I watched Josh Jacobs a lot,” Edwards-Helaire said. “But for the most part, I was a guy who was still stuck on Darren Sproles, trying to watch the things that he did throughout the end of his career. Recently I’d probably say Josh Jacobs, Ezekiel Elliott, as far as guys I like to watch.”

Jacobs and Elliott aren’t a bad combination to watch, they’re among the most explosive running backs currently playing in the NFL. Edwards-Helaire, however, loves to go back and look at some older film of guys who he feels his game is much closer to. He grew up watching and wanting to be Barry Sanders, but there are some other guys that he draws inspiration from too.

“I’m more about watching older guys when it comes to modeling my game after them,” Edwards-Helaire continued. “I feel like I’m closer to Kevin Faulk, Marshall Faulk, Brian Westbrook, and Darren Sproles. That’s normally who I watch.”

Edwards-Helaire had already been compared to Westbrook by the Chiefs’ front office and coaching staff. Andy Reid envisions him in that same type of role for the Chiefs’ offense.

Several of the players that Edwards-Helaire mentioned above have played a part in his development beyond simply watching their film. Kevin Faulk, the all-time leading rusher at LSU, was the Director of Player Development for LSU while Edwards-Helaire was there and was promoted to running backs coach this past February. Edwards-Helaire got a chance to learn from him first hand.

“In every level, you’ve grown as a person and as a football player,” Faulk told Edwards-Helaire in a video message. “Good luck.”

Another player that he’s been able to rely on in a similar way to Faulk is Darren Sproles.

“Being able to talk to [Darren Sproles], I have his number and can text him whenever I need to,” Edwards-Helaire told NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms. “We talked a lot at the combine. Being able to get whatever I need from Darren, In order to help me along in this path going into the draft, he’s been very helpful. Marshall and Kevin Faulk have also been the plus side of this. Ultimately, I’ve had nothing but guys that I can relate to as far as my game and mentally the things that I have going on. I hit the nail on the head with all the guys that I’ve run into or wanted to admire.”

It’s pretty great that Edwards-Helaire has already had an opportunity to be mentored by several of the players he looks up to and tries to model his game after. The fact that he looks up to some of the best to play the position tells me that he’s a student of the game and understands what’ll take to be great in the NFL.

Chiefs release RB Marcus Marshall

Another player has been released from the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to trim their 90-man offseason roster, this time releasing a second-year running back. According to the NFL’s transaction report, the Chiefs have released RB Marcus Marshall.

Marshall originally signed with the team as an undrafted free agent out of James Madison following the 2019 NFL Draft. Marshall finished the preseason in Kansas City with 17 carries for 80 yards and five catches for 25 yards. He didn’t make 53-man roster cuts, but he was made part of the Chiefs’ initial 10-man practice squad. In October, Marshall was released to make room for Ryan Hunter on the practice squad. He wouldn’t rejoin the team until he signed a reserve/future deal in February.

The decision to draft LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round forecasted a move at the RB position. The Chiefs don’t have anywhere near the carries during training camp to accommodate eight running backs on the roster. One surprising thing is the fact that they cut a player that actually has experience playing in the system. That shows you that they like the upside of some of the other players better.

Kansas City still has a few more roster spots to clear before they can officially sign all of their undrafted free agents. They’ve already released second-year QB Kyle Shurmur and veteran punter Dustin Colquitt. Don’t be shocked if they decide to part ways with another one of the players at the RB position.