Injury Update: Clyde Edwards-Helaire's Ankle Sprain Timeline

After exiting the Chiefs' second preseason game early, a timeline for Edwards-Helaire's return is still somewhat foggy.

Update: On Monday, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid provided an update on Clyde Edward's Helaire's ankle. Click here for Reid's update.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire left the Chiefs' second preseason game slightly earlier than scheduled on Friday with a right ankle sprain, providing some cause for concern as the Chiefs inch closer to the start of the regular season on September 12. Reports to this point have been mostly positive, but Edwards-Helaire's timeline for a return remains uncertain.

After the game on Friday night, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid detailed what the team knew about Edwards-Helaire's injury and struck an optimistic tone.

"He’s got a slight sprain on the inside of his ankle," Reid said. "We’ll just see. They got to check it tomorrow [Saturday], do what they do there. It’s tender now. It doesn’t look like a high-ankle sprain. That’s always a good thing. They’ll double-check it."

If the Chiefs did "check out" Edwards-Helaire's ankle on Saturday, the results haven't made it to the public. As of noon on Sunday, there have been no updates from the Chiefs or from reporters regarding those tests.

On Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network discussed the expected timeline for Edwards-Helaire's return, though Rapoport didn't provide an update on Edwards-Helaire's planned Saturday testing.

"It does not seem to be that serious at all for Clyde Edwards-Helaire," Rapoport said. "Not a high-ankle sprain, according to head coach Andy Reid."

Rapoport said he doesn't expect Edwards-Helaire to do much more during the preseason but that he should be ready for the start of the regular season, though Rapoport did note the Chiefs' running back depth if Edwards-Helaire is limited at the start of the regular season.

From @NFLTotalAccess: #Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire suffered a minor ankle injury. pic.twitter.com/7DprKZZuYz

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 21, 2021

Edwards-Helaire missed the end of the 2020 season with a high-ankle sprain suffered against the New Orleans Saints but did return for the Chiefs' games against the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl, respectively.

Before exiting Friday's game, Edwards-Helaire ran the ball three times for 13 yards and caught one pass for 10 yards. Derrick Gore led the team in rushing on the back of late-game work, taking eight carries for 54 yards. Darwin Thompson had eight carries for 49 yards, Jerick McKinnon had three carries for four yards and Darrel Williams had two carries for two yards.

Read More: Four Takeaways From the Chiefs' 17-10 Win Over the Cardinals