Running back Jamaal Charles is still technically a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. However, the Chiefs signed running back C.J. Spiller today.
Throw him into the mix with Spencer Ware, Charcandrick West and Knile Davis and you’ve got yourself a pretty crowded backfield. Charles has himself a cap number slightly over $6 million in 2017 and it would cost the Chiefs nothing to release him.
That math seems to add up to just that. It would appear Charles is going to be looking for a new employer soon.
Jason Hirschhorn suggests that employer could be the Green Bay Packers.
If cut, Charles could draw interest from the Packers. He has the versatile skill set the team values from RBs (and wouldn't cost comp pick).
— Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by_JBH) February 24, 2017
Hirschhorn is the second observer to connect Charles to the Packers. Former Packers safety LeRoy Butler was the first.
We said it then and we’ll say it again now.
Adding Charles would be a stupid move.
Charles is 30. He’ll turn 31 in December. What happens to running backs when they turn 30?
With very few exceptions, their skills decline precipitously.
We’re not even talking about a healthy 30-year-old running back either. Charles has played in just eight games over the past two seasons combined. He tore his ACL five games into the 2015 season, tried to come back for the 2016 season and was shut down after three games because of the same injury.
Even if — and that’s a big if — Charles is able to return to his previous form, it always takes a good part of the following season for a player with an ACL injury to get back to where he was. Just look at Jordy Nelson. He was an assassin down the stretch of the 2016 season, he but he didn’t have the burst, couldn’t get separation and just wasn’t the same player through the first half of the year.
I would love for someone to provide a rational explanation as to why the Packers would even be interested in a player like this. Maybe if this were 2014. Then it might make sense.