Chiefs Decline Clyde Edwards-Helaire's Fifth-Year Option

Kansas City opts against locking in its 2020 first-round pick for what would be his fifth season.

Many first-round picks from the 2020 NFL Draft class are having their fifth-year options picked up by their respective teams. With the Tuesday, May 2 deadline on their minds, however, the Kansas City Chiefs won't be following suit.

Per Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest, the Chiefs will not be picking up running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire's fifth-year option.

The Chiefs are officially declining the fifth-year option for the 2024 season for RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a source tells Chiefs Digest.

Clyde remains under contract with the Chiefs for 2023, and on Monday GM Brett Veach said CEH is in tremendous shape. https://t.co/hkMibKnsAB

— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) May 2, 2023

The fifth-year option is a mechanism in place for rookie contracts and team control to be extended by one additional, fully-guaranteed season for first-round picks. Those options factor in elements such as Pro Bowls made and snap count percentages over the players' first three years. For example, stars such as Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Justin Jefferson will see hefty raises in year No. 5 on the job due to their accolades thus far in their careers. 

Edwards-Helaire, who carries a $3.44 million cap hit for this coming season, was set to make just over 58% more than that in 2024 ($5.46M) had his fifth-year option been picked up by the Chiefs. It also would've lifted him into the top 20 of average annual value paid among all NFL running backs. General manager Brett Veach said a few weeks ago that the team would wait until after the 2023 NFL Draft to make a final call here, and that's exactly what Kansas City did. 

Since being drafted 32nd overall back in 2020, Edwards-Helaire hasn't made the impact the Chiefs originally hoped he would. Playing just 33 regular-season games, the former LSU Tigers standout has carried the ball 371 times for 1,622 yards (a 4.4 yards-per-carry average) and 11 touchdowns. Additionally, he's hauled in 72 passes and scored six touchdowns as a receiver out of the backfield. Injuries have been prevalent throughout Edwards-Helaire's tenure in Kansas City, limiting his on-field availability and appearing to sap him of some athleticism in the process.

Edwards-Helaire, per Veach, was the first person he saw in the facility on Monday morning. He's excited to see what Edwards-Helaire can do with a healthy offseason. The 24-year-old is set to remain in a running back room that already includes now second-year player Isiah Pacheco at the top and both La'Mical Perine and undrafted free agent signing Deneric Prince as end-of-the-roster candidates. Veteran Jerick McKinnon is also set to be back in the mix.

Despite the fifth-year option not being exercised by the team, Edwards-Helaire and the Chiefs can still work together to negotiate a contract extension if they so choose.

Read More: Grading the Chiefs' 2023 NFL Draft Class