NFL Player News

Williams has a new competitor in the backfield following the Chiefs' selection of LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Adam Teicher of ESPN reports.

Edwards-Helaire's smaller frame (5-foot-7) and an unconventional offseason ahead for NFL teams could still position Williams to play a key contributing role for the Chiefs during the 2020 season. However, the first-round selection of a running back dims Williams' prospects of serving as the team's workhorse of the future, especially with his contract set to expire following 2020. In addition to rushing for 1,414 yards and 16 touchdowns on 215 carries (6.6 YPC), Edwards-Helaire reeled in 55 passes at LSU last season, so there's no part of Williams' game that Edwards-Helaire can't match or exceed if he proves he can hold up in pass protection.

The Chiefs selected Edwards-Helaire in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, 32nd overall.

Edwards-Helaire is somewhat surprisingly the first running back off the board, but he's clearly a fine selection for the Chiefs even given his prior underdog status. At 5-foot-7, 207 pounds, Edwards-Helaire is densely built despite a frame that looks small at a glance, and his movements are both rapid and precise. Polished as a pass catcher out of the backfield, Edwards-Helaire resembles former Andy Reid star Brian Westbrook in terms of build, athleticism and skill set. Damien Williams was utterly dominant for the Chiefs the last two seasons when healthy, so while CEH is the runner of the future for the Chiefs, Williams could mostly hold him off for another year with better durability luck.

Clement (shoulder) received medical clearance Monday, NJ.com's Mike Kaye reports.

The Super Bowl XXXIX hero has struggled with injuries ever since his big moment, limited to 15 games and 259 rushing yards over the past two seasons. Now that he's been cleared from October surgery, the unrestricted free agent hopes to re-sign with the Eagles. Regardless of where he ends up signing, Clement will need to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster, considering he's played nearly as many snaps on special teams (474) as on offense (497) in three NFL seasons.

Wilson signed his exclusive-rights free agent tender Monday.

Wilson is set to earn $750,000 in 2020 before becoming a restricted free agent next offseason. Though he reached the end zone five times in 2019, Wilson averaged just 3.9 yards per carry and saw his role on offense dwindle down the stretch last season. From Week 14 onward, Wilson's only touch came in the Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs, when he recorded a 20-yard reception.

Washington re-signed with the Saints on Thursday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.

Washington appeared in all 16 of the Saints' regular-season contests in 2019, playing a core role on special teams while contributing as a depth option out of the backfield. Across that span, he carried the ball eight times for 60 yards and caught his only target for six yards. He stands to play a similar role behind Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray in 2020.

Breida signed his restricted free agent tender Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

For his career, Breida has averaged 5.0 yards per carry and reeled in 75.3 percent of his 89 targets. While production isn't a question mark, opportunity is a problem, given he's in a backfield with Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, Jerick McKinnon and even Jeff Wilson. Breida's name has been mentioned in the trade front so far this offseason, but for the time being he remains an employee of the 49ers.

General manager Steve Keim said Wednesday that the Cardinals want to sign Drake to a long-term contract.

Drake signed a one-year transition tender for $8.4 million in late March, creating a July 15 deadline for any negotiations on a longer contract. The Cardinals also are talking with DeAndre Hopkins' agent about a new deal, but Keim suggested the team is mostly focused on the upcoming draft and thus more likely to finalize extensions after the draft concludes April 25. The 26-year-old Drake is primed to head the Arizona backfield in 2020, with only Chase Edmonds and D.J. Foster behind him on the current depth chart. The Cardinals could be in the market for a running back in the middle or late rounds of the draft.

The Bengals and Mixon haven't yet agreed on a contract extension, and while there haven't been any reports of acrimony between the two sides, a holdout remains a possibility, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.

Mixon is set to become a free agent after this season, though the Bengals have the recourse of a franchise tag available to retain him through 2021. Christian McCaffrey's recent new contract will be mentioned as part of the conversation in any extension discussions, though the Bengals are hardly known for their willingness to throw big money at a player. Mixon's status becomes more pressing now with the draft just around the corner.

McCaffrey agreed to terms Monday with the Panthers on a four-year, $64 million contract extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

McCaffrey's $16 million annual salary makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, a deserved reward after he eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in 2019 while tying for the league lead in touchdowns (19) and finishing second in receptions (116). He still has two more years left on his rookie deal, so the extension will keep him on Carolina's books through the 2025 campaign, his age-29 season.

Both GM Jason Licht and head coach Bruce Arians remain high on Jones' upside, although that won't preclude them from focusing on the running back position in the upcoming draft, Carmen Vitali of the team's official site reports.

Licht was effusive in his praise of Jones during a Thursday conference call with reporters, noting the team thinks the third-year back "hasn't even scratched the surface of what he can be." That type of sentiment would have been virtually inconceivable with respect to Jones at this time last year, as the USC product was coming off an utterly forgettable rookie season in which he rushed for just 44 yards at a minuscule 1.9 yards per carry. However, Jones made significant strides in 2019, generating a 172-724-6 line on the ground that he complemented with 31 receptions. His work through the air supports the notion Jones is on the path to becoming a legitimate every-down back, but Licht notes the team will enter this year's draft still looking to fortify the position. "We have a lot of faith in Ronald, and in fact, we have more faith in him now that we ever have," Licht said. "But that's another position, as you can tell [when] you look across the league, some of the better teams they have one, two or three guys, sometimes four, that they can rely on in different roles in their offense."