KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to one-year deals with quarterback Carson Wentz and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, two people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday, giving- los a support for Patrick Mahomes and some depth in their backfield.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because no deal had been announced.
Wentz, the second overall pick in the 2016 draft, will be joining his fifth team in five years after starting his career in Philadelphia and spending last season with the Rams. He went 47-45-1 as a starter in eight seasons with the Eagles, where he finished third in NFL MVP voting in 2017, but tore two knee ligaments and saw backup Nick Foles he was leading them to a Super Bowl victory.
Wentz started 17 games for the Colts in 2021, leading them to a 9-8 record while throwing for 3,563 yards with 27 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. He started seven games the following year for the Commanders, then earned his only start for Los Angeles, when he played well in a largely meaningless regular season finale against San Francisco.
Wentz, who has thrown for 22,292 yards with 153 touchdowns and 67 interceptions in a career plagued by injuries and inconsistencies, fits the mold of the experienced quarterbacks the Chiefs have brought in to be Mahomes’ backups.
When they won the Super Bowl in the 2019 season, it was Chad Henne who kept the job and made a couple of crucial plays during their playoff run. Henne retired after the Super Bowl triumph two years ago, and last year, it was Blaine Gabbert who signed a one-year contract to be the backup QB and earned a Super Bowl ring.
Edwards-Helaire is a known commodity in Kansas City, which selected him 32nd overall in the 2020 draft.
However, he struggled to live up to expectations as a first-round pick. Edwards-Helaire dealt with a string of injuries over the past four seasons, and that was part of the reason Isiah Pacheco was able to contend for the starting job two years ago.
The Chiefs decided not to exercise their fifth-year option on Edwards-Helaire, making him a free agent. But his knowledge of Andy Reid’s complex offense, along with his ability to catch passes out of the backfield, made a deal make sense to stay in Kansas City, where Edwards-Helaire could get a more lucrative contract with a good season
Edwards-Helaire has appeared in 48 games, with 1,845 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has also caught 89 passes for 765 yards and seven touchdowns over the past four seasons in Kansas City.
