Chiefs Running Back Darrel Williams Exits Game Against Cardinals, Evaluated for Concussion
Per the Kansas City Chiefs, running back Darrel Williams has exited Friday's preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals and is being evaluated for a concussion.
Williams, the Chiefs' second-string running back, is coming off a season in which he recorded 169 rushing yards and a touchdown, as well as an additional 116 yards through the air as a receiver. When he was forced out of the game, he had two carries for two yards and a single reception for eight yards.
Without Williams, the Chiefs will rely heavily upon Darwin Thompson and Jerick McKinnon. McKinnon had an impressive showing in Week 1 of the preseason, a 19-16 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Thompson wasn't as fortunate, but his past success in the preseason makes him a threat to still potentially make the team.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire has worked with Williams in the past and last season, he was often sidelined in favor of Williams in two-minute drill situations. Williams' pass-blocking prowess is a major asset to the Chiefs on offense but with expected improvement from Edwards-Helaire, the second-year back could be in for a big year.
The Chiefs have been no strangers to concussion protocols and evaluations this preseason, as linebacker Willie Gay Jr. also went through the process earlier this month. The team is already without Frank Clark, Derrick Nnadi, Malik Herring, Taco Charlton, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Kyle Long, who are all battling various injuries in their own right.
