Not everything that happens in the course of an NFL season is going to be what people expect. Teams have come out of nowhere to place themselves near the top of the conference standings. Others have been unable to get certain units going that may have shone last year. Additionally, specific players do not end up performing or getting the usage that was anticipated.
Two players on the Kansas City Chiefs fall under that last category. Running back Elijah Mitchell and cornerback Kristian Fulton continue to be confusing cases. Both names remain constant inactives each week. It has been easy to forecast those two being on the gameday inactive list based on what has happened so far.
Yet, there have been chances for each player to be active more often. This past week against the Buffalo Bills, the Chiefs were without Isiah Pacheco due to a knee injury. It was not Mitchell who was made active at running back, though. Instead, Kansas City opted to elevate Clyde Edwards-Helaire from the practice squad for the trip to Buffalo.
Two high-priced offseason additions, Elijah Mitchell and Kristian Fulton, have become surprising non-factors for the Kansas City Chiefs.
At cornerback, the Chiefs did have Fulton appear in the first two games of the season. He managed one tackle and just 17 defensive snaps across the two contests. Sure, he missed time with an injury during training camp, but to see Fulton remain out of Kansas City's current plans has been baffling. That is mainly because of the offseason contract that the Chiefs gave him.
Fulton signed with K.C. for two years and $20 million with $15 million fully guaranteed. And this was not just a late signing by the time training camp rolled around to get an extra body for practice. The Chiefs added Fulton at the outset of free agency in the middle of March. This was something Kansas City finalized well before their final draft plans were set in April.
Was either player expected to be the top option on the depth chart at their given position? Not really. However, to become afterthoughts is nothing Kansas City fans could have anticipated entering the season.
Teams with playoff and Super Bowl aspirations like the Chiefs need added depth for the late portion of the season. Nonetheless, it appears that Kansas City does not have any current or concrete plans for Mitchell or Fulton as additional depth players. Will the handling of these two look less disappointing as the season gets deeper? A quick resolution or change for either one may be the only way that happens. Time will tell if the Chiefs release either player soon.