KC Chiefs: Who could be a first-time Pro Bowler in 2021?
By Matt Conner
If you surveyed Chiefs Kingdom with this question, my guess is that Clyde Edwards-Helaire would be the most popular answer for multiple reasons.
First, Joe Thuney would be assumed to have already been named to the Pro Bowl sometime in the last few seasons. Second, an offensive performer is a solid guess given how dynamic the Chiefs are going to be on that side of the ball. Third, he comes with the buzz of a recent first-round pick. Fourth, there’s no better time to take that step than when a player jumps to his sophomore season in the NFL.
Last year, Edwards-Helaire had a truncated on-ramp into the pro level with the COVID-19 protocols placed on everything. In-person practices and team meetings went digital, and some segments of a team’s training regimen were cancelled outright. It meant that the already steep learning curve to adjust to life on and off the field in the NFL was even more difficult for everyone.
Edwards-Helaire looked solid in his first full season with the Chiefs last year with 181 carries for 803 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. He added another 36 catches for 297 receiving yards through the air. This year, however, he should be used to the demands of the league and will be a much more well-rounded back after working with the Chiefs coaches. That should bode well for his workload.
Right now it also helps Edwards-Helaire’s potential productivity to know that the team has lost its third “peg” in the offense in Sammy Watkins with no clear replacement. Certainly CEH isn’t going to lineup outside and take on a different position, but there’s every reason to believe some of the burden will shift to the backfield as Edwards-Helaire shows he’s ready for it.