The Kansas City Chiefs have figured out how they’ll handle the running back position this weekend in Cincinnati.
On Friday, Chiefs HC Andy Reid wouldn’t formally rule out RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire despite his status as a non-participant in practice all week with a shoulder contusion. Reid said that Edwards-Helaire was close, but not quite close enough to practice. A day later, the team officially declared Edwards-Helaire out for the game, taking a better safe than sorry approach with their top running back.
That puts RBs Darrel Williams and Derrick Gore in line for the majority of the snaps at the position in Week 17, but the team will also return another RB from injured reserve.
We have now ruled RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire OUT for Sunday’s game. He will not travel with the club.
We have added RB Jerick McKinnon to the 53-man roster from IR. McKinnon should be listed on the injury report with a hamstring injury and no designation for Sunday. pic.twitter.com/XR0QueVzx8
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 1, 2022
The team designated RB Jerick McKinnon to return from IR earlier in the practice week. In light of the news regarding, Edwards-Helaire the team has opted to activate McKinnon to the 53-man roster from injured reserve. He was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury following the Week 11 game against the Cowboys.
McKinnon hasn’t had the most productive season on offense, with just seven carries for 38 yards and 10 receptions for 81 yards in 11 games played this season. One area where he will certainly help the Chiefs is on passing downs. He’s been one of the better backs in pass-pro for Kansas City this season.
Should the Chiefs clinch the No. 1 seed this week, expect the team to shut down Edwards-Helaire until the playoffs and roll with the trio of Williams, Gore and McKinnon.
