Could Jamaal Charles re-enter the Kansas City Chiefs backfield?

Jamaal Charles showed last year that he’s not only still healthy but effective and he wants to play another year. How about a reunion?

One year ago, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to cut loose a franchise icon in running back Jamaal Charles. Even though fans largely expected the move given Charles’s injury history and looming cap hit, it was still a bit shocking to see Charles let go given what he’s meant to the team and the city during his 9-year career.

During the time of his release, Charles was rehabbing yet another knee injury but was determined to return to form. He insisted again and again that he was ready and willing to play in 2017 for someone, that he had more to offer. It was a familiar phrase said by most players near the twilight of their careers, but Charles proved everyone wrong.

A few months after his release, Charles signed with the Denver Broncos to the dismay of Chiefs Kingdom, but absolutely nothing went right for the parties involved. Charles was never given a fair shake in the backfield despite proving himself worthy of more playing time, and a franchise headed toward the divisional basement wasn’t keen on giving reps to a 31-year-old.

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One year after his release, Charles now faces the same plight as before—hoping a team wants to take a chance on an (even more ) aging running back whose best days are behind him. In another offseason loaded with free agent options and another deep running back class, Charles might find it difficult to earn much attention.

Then again, Charles is a legend who proved himself capable of contributing in meaningful ways after yet another knee injury. In limited playing time, Charles had 69 carries for 296 rushing yards and 1 touchdown. With a longest run of only 19 yards, it shows even in that small sample size, Charles was breaking off decent yards on a regular basis (rather than the results being skewed by one or two major gains).

Charles also caught another 23 passes out of the backfield for 196 yards, showing he can be a nice two-way player for a team, perfect for a third down back. By comparison, Charcandrick West averaged 4.0 yards/carry compared to Charles at 4.3. The pair averaged the exact same amount per reception at 5.6 yards/catch.

It could be not only a nice offseason story but a potential in-season gain for the Chiefs to consider bringing Charles back as the fourth running back on the roster for competition. It brings a community favorite back to Kansas City, and it’s not hard to picture Charles supplanting Akeem Hunt’s roster spot. A backfield of Kareem Hunt, Spencer Ware and then a competition between West and Charles would make for a loaded backfield. There’s also the notion that the youngsters could learn a thing or two from Charles in the process.

Even when a roster can reach 90 players, I’d still never argue that bringing in an old face for the sake of fan relations or good will is the right idea. However, Charles is also still effective as a two-way back, and even Broncos fans admit the team “wasted” his efforts. If a player on the open market can thrill a fan base, gain some headlines and still turn heads on the field when it counts, it seems like a no-brainer.

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