Arrowheadlines: Article suggests the Chiefs should trade Clyde Edwards-Helaire to the Vikings

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1 Trade Each NFL Team Should Propose Before the 2023 Season | Bleacher Report

Kansas City Chiefs: Trade RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire to Minnesota Vikings

With Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon taking over clearly defined roles down the stretch for the Chiefs last season, it’s hard to find a role for Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

The former first-round pick has been a disappointment, and the fact that the Chiefs were able to replace him with a seventh-round draft pick and cheap free agent is emblematic of the bleak situation running backs face.

For the Chiefs, there’s not a lot of incentive to keep him around, and they would save $2.1 million by trading him.

Still, Edwards-Helaire has a first-round draft pedigree and can do some damage as a receiver out of the backfield. The Chiefs had him playing multiple receiver positions the week of practice leading up to the Super Bowl before he was a healthy scratch.

The Vikings are one of the few teams who could still add a back to their offense. With Dalvin Cook gone, they’ll be relying on Alexander Mattison to shoulder most of the workload. But there’s room for someone like CEH to work as a third-down back.

50 Most Important NFL Observations After 2 Weeks of Preseason Action | The 33rd Team

Ross Bandwagon Leaving the Station

I’ve been saying it for months but get on the Justyn Ross bandwagon if you haven’t yet. I’m a believer the wide receiver.

Backup Job up for Grabs?

The Chiefs have relied on their backup quarterback at times in recent years. With Chad Henne retiring, the plan was for free agent signing Blaine Gabbert to step in. However, Shane Buechele is making a strong case to take over, given his impressive performance this preseason.

2023 NFL season: Predicting every game, all 32 team records | Sports Illustrated

Kansas City Chiefs (11–6)

This pick is easy until it’s not. While I do think the Chiefs are flirting with a very delicate locker-room hierarchy by leaving one of their best players, Chris Jones, unextended, Patrick Mahomes is rounding into the Tom Brady of his era and should have the mantle if he so chooses. Kansas City has done a great job of cycling out its core as it ages and becomes less effective. I do think this is a year when we’ll see the fruits of some earlier draft picks such as Skyy Moore, for example. Its schedule is difficult but allows for some respite, with both Raiders games on the back end, which should help separate each week being appointment television—the blessing and curse of having the game’s best player.

One thing to watch in each NFL preseason Week 3 game: Aaron Rodgers makes Jets debut, Dolphins’ QB2 battle | CBS Sports

Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs (Saturday, Aug. 26, 1 p.m., NFLN)

Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes says Rashee Rice reminds him of Sammy Watkins when he arrived in Kansas City, fitting after he finished with eight catches for 96 yards against the Cardinals last week. Rice could be the big-play wideout the Chiefs have been lacking, especially with his ability to generate yards after the catch. He could be the No. 1 wide receiver by season’s end.

Branson Named the Official Vacation Destination of the Kansas City Chiefs | The Mothership

As part of the partnership, Branson and the Lakes Area will receive a mix of experiential and digital activation assets, including an annual in-market season kickoff rally with Chiefs personalities. In addition, Branson will have a major presence around the club’s NFL Draft coverage and fan events, including serving as the presenting partner of the annual Season Ticket Member Draft Fest at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

“We are excited and proud to partner with Branson and the Lakes Area to help elevate the exciting opportunities they offer for destination entertainment right here in Chiefs Kingdom,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. “Like GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Branson serves as a bucket-list destination for people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life and is a treasure located right in our backyard. We’d like to thank the City of Branson and the Branson/Lakes Area Tourism Community Enhancement District for their partnership. We look forward to getting this relationship off the ground and bringing new visitors to this incredible destination.”

2024 NFL mock draft: Preseason Round 1 pick predictions | ESPN

32. Kansas City Chiefs

Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

It would be foolish to predict Travis Kelce will slow down as the No. 1 target for Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, but he does turn 34 this season. The Chiefs might want to look ahead, given the importance of the safety valve in the offense. The 6-4, 243-pound Sanders looked great in 2022 with 54 catches, 613 yards and five touchdowns, and he also emerged as a valuable run-blocker. He’s a handful to tackle in the open field and has shown excellent body positioning and spacial awareness to create openings over the middle. That sounds a lot like the mold that Kelce has set in Kansas City. No one should be expected to fill Kelce’s shoes, but Sanders at least has a similar skill set.

Around the NFL

Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy carted off with hamstring injury | ESPN

It’s been a bit of a cruel summer for the Denver Broncos’ wide receivers, and the bad injury luck at the position continued Thursday when Jerry Jeudy was carted off the practice field with a right hamstring injury.

“It’s a hamstring,” Broncos coach Sean Payton confirmed after practice. “We’ll get an MRI and see where he’s at with it.”

Jeudy is expected to miss at least several weeks, multiple team sources told ESPN. The Broncos open the regular season Sept. 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders, 17 days from Thursday.

Eagles vs. Colts score, takeaways: Rookie QB Anthony Richardson leads two TD drives in preseason finale | CBS Sports

Richardson showcases skill set

Going against some players who aren’t going to be on the Eagles’ 53-man roster next week makes Richardson’s performance hard to evaluate. He had three scoring drives in six series, leading to 17 points in the first half. He showcased command of a vanilla offense Shane Steichen was running, not giving away too many secrets. Richardson also knew when to use his legs to move the chains, rushing for 38 yards on five carries.

The overall numbers aren’t astonishing, but it’s clear Richardson has the raw tools and arm strength to succeed in this league. He does need to work on his accuracy and footwork.

Cardinals trading Isaiah Simmons to Giants for 2024 seventh-round draft pick | NFL.com

Isaiah Simmons’ well-publicized position change didn’t last through the end of the preseason in Arizona.

The Cardinals traded the former first-round selection to the New York Giants in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round draft pick, the team announced on Thursday.

“Isaiah did everything we asked of him,” Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters on Thursday. “Moving forward this is the best way we want to play football against other people.”

Simmons’ tale in Arizona revolved around a lack of fit. The 2019 ACC Defensive Player of the Year entered the NFL as an obvious tweener at linebacker, but his rare blend of size, speed and athleticism made most personnel executives salivate over the thought of what Simmons could become.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs Roster: Why Rashee Rice can be a productive receiver in 2023

Playmaking from the slot

This preseason, Rice has lined up in the slot on 65% of his snaps. It was the highest rate among the first and second-team wide receivers, a statistic that may catch some off guard. Rice measured in at 6’1” and 204 lbs. at the NFL Combine, then compared his game to All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins.

That doesn’t sound like the traditional slot receiver, but it’s typical for the Chiefs to like size in that spot. JuJu Smith-Schuster made plays from that alignment, and so did Sammy Watkins a few years back.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes agrees, comparing the rookie to Watkins in his post-game press conference last week.

The comparison comes from each’s physical skill set, being able to move effectively in open space with enough size to brush off arm tackles but also explode through seams; Rice recorded a 1.49-second 10-yard split at the NFL Combine, a mark that is in the 93rd percentile for receiver prospects historically.

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