Dec 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) catches a 71 yard touchdown pass against the Oakland Raiders in the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 56-31. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
How much more does Jamaal Charles have left in the tank?
Charles turned 27-years-old in December, a critical number the Chiefs have to keep in mind as this season moves forward. The normal arch of a running back’s career begins to dip at age 28, and while Charles did not have a lot of touches early in his career he has certainly made up for it the last two seasons.
No superstar in the NFL is as good of a soldier as Charles has been in Kansas City. Playing at an incredibly team friendly contract, Charles has not complained or asked for a new deal. He shows up to all of the OTAs, stays out of trouble off the field, and is a positive influence in the locker room. Keeping Charles would on the surface seem like a good thing to do, even if his career arch as an extreme downward drop in production coming up very soon.
Should the Chiefs want to get through the next two years of Charles deal and potentially keep him around longer then they need to start limiting his opportunities to get hit. Andy Reid’s screen heavy and edge running style will help cut down on hits in general and hits by 300 pound linemen, but it may not be enough to defeat the realities of time.
However, if Kansas City wants to continue the success they experienced in 2013 then they are going to need another huge season from Charles. A huge season is tough to come by if Charles is going to see a reduction of touches. This battle is going to be a difficult one to manage.