Chiefs release Jamaal Charles, who could be near end of the line

After nine seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs are moving on from running back Jamaal Charles. The Chiefs confirmed that they released Charles on Tuesday, in a move that saves Kansas City $6.188 million against the salary cap.

“I’ve been privileged to work with a lot of talented players over the years, and Jamaal Charles ranks up there with the great ones,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “I appreciate the way he came to work every day, he gave us everything he had day-in and day-out. I’ve said it before, I think he’s a future Hall of Famer.”

It’s an unceremonious end to Charles’ run with the Chiefs, but with knee injuries piling up, the 30-year-old could be nearing the end of a fantastic NFL career. He’s left quite the impression after being one of the league’s best running backs this decade, and he leaves the Chiefs as the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.

The Chiefs drafted Charles in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. He spent the early part of his career splitting time with Larry Johnson and Thomas Jones, but Charles eventually got the chance to be a full-time starter. With his diverse skill set running between the tackles and catching the ball, Charles became a lethal weapon for the Chiefs and a matchup nightmare for most opponents.

Charles’ best season came in 2013, when he piled up 1,980 total yards (1,287 rushing, 693 receiving) and led the league with 19 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and made the All-Pro Team twice. Perhaps his most incredible stat is yards per carry, which sits at an astonishing 5.5 after 1,332 rushing attempts. That mark is an all-time record for qualified running backs — Jim Brown is the closest at 5.2 yards per carry.

Unfortunately, the good times wouldn’t last forever for Charles. He tore his ACL in the 2015 season and missed training camp the next year rehabbing. Charles tried making a comeback in time for the regular season, but lingering issues with the knee limited him to just three games. In the meantime, the Chiefs found success with Spencer Ware, who recorded 921 rushing yards and averaged 4.3 yards per carry. With Charles cut, the Chiefs have Ware and Charcandrick West on top of the depth chart.

It’s entirely possible that Charles has something left in the tank, but 30-year-old running backs with knee problems have a hard time getting demand in the free agent market. He’ll have to prove he’s healthy and still a dynamic talent if he hopes to land with a new team soon.