For a team watching January football from home, the rebuilding begins early. And for the Kansas City Chiefs, that starts with letting people go. Seven names disappeared from the Chiefs’ roster on Monday, January 12, their practice squad contracts expiring like unrenewed promises.

The list tells its own story. Offensive guard Nick Broeker, wide receiver Jason Brownlee, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, defensive end Malik Herring, fullback Carson Steele, defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu, and tight end Tre Watson are all gone. There weren’t exactly headline names, except for one.

Edwards-Helaire was a big promise back when the Chiefs burned a first-round pick on him in 2020. But five years later, he’s walking away from Kansas City as a practice squad casualty. Though he averaged 4.5 yards per carry over his first 33 games, injuries and availability issues in the seasons that followed led the Chiefs to decline his fifth-year option. He battled PTSD and cyclic vomiting syndrome, spending most of 2024 on reserve/non-football illness before his December release. He then tried to make a wave with the New Orleans Saints, but that didn’t stick either.

The Chiefs brought him back to their practice squad this season, hoping for a miracle. But just two games and 13 yards later, his Kansas City chapter officially closes with a practice squad expiration date.

Broker and Brownlee, meanwhile, filled roster gaps briefly in 2025 without making much noise. Steele, Herring, Tuipulotu, and Watson couldn’t do much of anything either. They now become casualties for a team that finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014. But some of these departures cut deeper than the typical roster churn.

The running back position, for one, is a disaster that has directly hampered franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes. And Edward-Helarire’s exit only highlights it.

The running back problem for Patrick Mahomes

Both Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco hit free agency this offseason. That leaves Kansas City with zero proven backs under contract. The 2025 season averaged just 106.6 rushing yards per game, the same disaster as last season’s 105.3. Hunt led the way with 611 yards on 163 carries. Pacheco managed 462 yards in 13 games after missing time with an injury. Those numbers tell you everything about Kansas City’s ground game, or the lack of one.

Since Jamaal Charles’ last healthy season in 2014, the Chiefs’ leading rushers have averaged 788 yards and finished around 25th annually. Only Kareem Hunt’s 2017 rookie campaign broke that pattern. The Chiefs have been increasingly frugal on running backs. Across 11 seasons, their leading rushers have averaged just $1.1 million in cap hits. That’s bottom-of-the-barrel money. This approach finally came due in 2025, and Patrick Mahomes paid the bill.

Top Stories

Fired John Harbaugh Announces News for Giants & Browns as Ex-Ravens HC Confirms Stance on NFL Job – Report

Ravens Make Matt Nagy Announcement as John Harbaugh Makes Feelings Clear on Next NFL HC Job

Jordan Love Confirms Feelings on Matt LaFleur’s Firing Rumors After Contradicting HC Over Bears Loss

Josh Jacobs Confirms Position on Matt LaFleur Firing After Packers HC Puts All Blame on Locker Room

What Is C.J. Stroud’s Ethnicity, Religion, and Nationality? Exploring His Family Roots and Background

Stacking the box was unnecessary for opposing defenses this season. They could all laser-focus on Mahomes and dare KC to run. But the Chiefs couldn’t find their footing. And this forced Mahomes into scrambling more game after game, trying to manufacture offense with his legs when the pocket collapsed around him.

Patrick Mahomes posted career highs with 422 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns this season. It sounds impressive until you realize what it means. Your franchise quarterback shouldn’t have to lean into becoming a rushing threat. Not when he’s 30-years-old with a Super Bowl legacy to protect.

Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers finally sealed it all. Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL late in the 16-13 loss that eliminated KC from playoff contention. Facing the nine-month recovery timeline, Mahomes faced the operating table as soon as he could.

No credible running game, and no protection from carrying the offense solo. The Chiefs’ decade of bargain-hunting at running back finally broke their most valuable asset. Mahomes absorbed punishment that could’ve been avoided with proper investment. Now, their offseason demands answers Kansas City should’ve found years ago.