The Chiefs already reunited with Derrick Nnadi via trade recently; they will now add another familiar face on offense. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is returning to Kansas City, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz tweets. The deal bringing Edwards-Helaire back will be a practice squad arrangement.
Edwards-Helaire spent the offseason with the Saints, who had picked him up after the Chiefs waived him late last year. The former first-round pick, however, will follow Kareem Hunt in booking a second stint with the Chiefs.
Selected 32nd overall in 2020, Edwards-Helaire posted 1,100 scrimmage yards as a rookie while operating as a starter. He missed three games along the way, however, and injuries remained an issue across his first Kansas City stint. By 2023, the LSU product had seen a major drop in usage, and it will be interesting to see where his role in the 2025 backfield pecking order shakes out.
Edwards-Helaire managed 13 scoreless carries in two regular season Saints appearances last year. New Orleans elected to move on yesterday in a move which came as little surprise based on that sparse workload. Changing teams just before Week 1, Edwards-Helaire will now reacclimate to a familiar offense while looking to chip on offensively. The Chiefs still have Hunt along with Isiah Pacheco in place; they also added Elijah Mitchell in free agency.
Mitchell and Hunt are both pending 2026 free agents. Pacheco is entering the final year of his rookie contract, so he too could depart on the open market next spring. With plenty of future uncertainty in the backfield, Edwards-Helaire could play his way into a larger role for next season. For now, he will aim to regain his previous form during a second Kansas City stint.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.