Checking in on Jamaal Charles, Jeremy Maclin and other former Chiefs

Let’s take a look at a few former fan favorites for the Chiefs who are now in new places to see how they are faring in the 2017 season.

The 2017 offseason was a rough one for the Kansas City Chiefs. They not only dismissed one of the top general managers in the league in John Dorsey, but they also lost three players you could file under “fan favorites.” There was debate all over Chiefs Kingdom as to whether those players would be big losses or not, and the halfway point of the season is a good time to evaluate those moves.

Jamaal Charles

The most emotional loss during the offseaon came when the Chiefs cut running back Jamaal Charles, and fans had to watch him sign with the hated rival Denver Broncos. The Broncos signed Charles to a very cheap one-year deal that they could have walked away from paying him nothing if he didn’t make the team. Charles did make the team and has been a solid backup running back for the Broncos.

Through nine games he’s averaging seven rushing attempts and two passing targets per game. He’s rushed for 274 yards on 62 carries for a 4.4 yard per attempt average. That is below his career average but still better than the Broncos starting running back CJ Anderson. Along with the rushing, Charles has 13 catches for 71 yards. He does have one rushing touchdown, but also has two fumbles. One of those fumbles Chiefs fans will remember fondly as it was picked up by Marcus Peters and returned for a touchdown on Monday Night Football and helped give the Chiefs their lone win the last four games.

While Charles has been a solid backup for the Broncos, he is no longer the game breaker he once was. While still quick, his home run speed is gone. At the time the Chiefs cut him, he would have been the third best back on the team but the number one fan favorite. Charles would have always been a problem on the sideline as fans would always be screaming for Charles to get carries. With a rookie star on your team, you don’t need that kind of pressure from the fan base. His leaving was a huge reset on the running back position and nobody had to look over his shoulder. As it turns out, Kareem Hunt has picked right up where Charles left off two years ago. That solidified the decision to cut Charles as the 100% right move.