Arrowhead Report

Chiefs Sign Free Agent Running Back Jerick McKinnon

Just hours before the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs are expected to sign free agent running back Jerick McKinnon, according to Peter Schrager of NFL Network.

Tucker D. Franklin

Just hours before the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs are expected to sign free agent running back Jerick McKinnon, according to Peter Schrager of NFL Network.

The Chiefs are slated to have two second-round selections tonight at No. 58 and No. 63.

McKinnon spent last year with the San Fransisco 49ers where he played in all 16 games and rushed for 319 yards and five touchdowns.

Prior to joining the 49ers last season, McKinnon was a third-round selection by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014. He played in 58 games in four years for the Vikings, collecting a total of 1,918 yards and seven touchdowns.

McKinnon left Minnesota following the 2017 season and signed a four-year, $30 million contract with the 49ers in March 2018. On Sept. 1, 2019, McKinnon tore his ACL during a team workout and missed the entire season.

In the following offseason, McKinnon suffered a setback from his knee injury that held him out of the 2019 season as well. McKinnon returned to action against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 of the 2020 season.

Arrowhead Report's Joshua Brisco reacted to the news of McKinnon's signing after it happened.

This is a pretty on-brand offseason move for the Chiefs, who typically find a veteran back to bring into their backfield before training camp. McKinnon joins Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson, with Thompson living on the bubble of the depth chart now. The one somewhat confusing element of the McKinnon signing is that the Chiefs released Damien Williams earlier in the offseason, despite the fact that Williams had seen success in this offense before. Though barely younger than Williams, McKinnon can add some quality depth to the Chiefs' backfield.

Read More: NFL Draft Day 2: Who's Left for the Kansas City Chiefs?

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Tucker D. Franklin
TUCKER D. FRANKLIN

Tucker D. Franklin is an alumnus of Northwest Missouri State University, majoring in sports media and graduating in 2019. Tucker was previously the sports editor for The Maryville Forum and is now the editor-in-chief of Inside the Royals as well as the deputy editor for Arrowhead Report on SI.com and the host of the Roughing the Kicker Chiefs podcast. Follow Tucker on Twitter @tuckerdfranklin.

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