Let’s Argue: Clyde Edwards-Helaire will remain as RB2 in 2023

Mar 24, 2023 - 3:30 PM

Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/18vMWVZv4AMhHRNW_wi85hYEATY=/0x227:6000x3602/1920x1080/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72110565/usa_today_19289854.0.jpg" />

Welcome to this week’s edition of Let’s Argue!

Let’s Argue is a returning weekly series that looks at hot takes, unpopular opinions, wacky predictions and more from Kansas City Chiefs fans.

---

Clyde Edwards-Helaire will be the No. 2 running back in 2023.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire seems to be a forgotten player at this point. The attribute Chiefs fans won’t forget is the fact the former LSU product was drafted in the first round.

Fair or not, when you’ve been selected that high, expectations go through the roof, which can be a blessing and a curse. If Edwards-Helaire would have been selected in the later rounds, the discourse around him would be totally different.

It has seemed like a foregone conclusion he won’t be on this team moving forward, but why?

We all know Isiah Pacheco is the guy moving forward. Behind him, it’s wide open. Jerick McKinnon is a free agent, and — believe it or not — Edwards-Helaire remains on the roster.

When Edwards-Helaire is on the field, he can still be a productive back. In 10 games, he accounted for six touchdowns.

Kansas City should take a position besides offensive tackle in Round 1.

There still seems to be some confusion over the Chiefs' plan at tackle. As of right now, it appears that newly-signed offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor will be making the transition from right tackle to left tackle.

With Andrew Wylie taking his talents to the nation’s capital, it begs the question of who will be starting at right tackle. Lucas Niang is the most likely choice, but given his recent injury history, it’s safe to say the general manager Brett Veach will bring in some more competition.

Will that competition come in the fashion of a first-round pick?

It’s possible, but it depends on how the board falls.

Go get a top receiver for Patrick Mahomes in the NFL Draft.

As you see in the video here, the Jaxon Smith-Njigba hype train is in full throttle. After impressing at the combine and at this pro day, many Chiefs fans are wondering if Veach would trade up from No. 31 to get him.

For me, it all depends on what happens before the NFL Draft. If the Chiefs acquire DeAndre Hopkins or Odell Beckham Jr., then I don’t see them drafting a receiver until the third round.

However, if they don’t acquire an established wide receiver before April 27, I think a trade-up scenario for a game-changing wide receiver is on the table.

Pencil wide receiver Justyn Ross into the lineup by Week 6.

Speaking of hype trains, none is bigger than the Justyn Ross train has been for more than a year now. All it took was a training video of the former Clemson standout running up a hill to have Chiefs Kingdom in a social media uproar.

I hate to be the Debbie Downer here, but let’s slow down.

Ross hasn’t played in a football game in nearly two years. He was once projected to be a first-round pick but — following a series of severe injuries — his stock plummeted to the point he went undrafted.

I want to see Ross succeed just as badly as everyone else, but it’s unfair to him to put massive expectations on him at this point. Let’s see how organized team activities (OTAs) and training camp goes first.

Baby steps.