Kansas City Chiefs: Trade Dexter McCluster or Hold onto Him as Insurance?

As the Kansas City Chiefs enter the 2012 season with fresh faces up and down the depth chart, it will soon become clear that some players will be left on the outside looking in.

Some of those players will be familiar fan favorites that have shown flashes of encouraging productivity, while some will be guys that just haven’t lived up to their billing yet in the NFL.

Dexter McCluster enters his third season in the league (all with the Chiefs) having not quite been able to grasp his calling in the NFL, although he has shown the knack for versatility in short spurts.

McCluster is the equivalent of the super-utility man in baseball—a player not quite good enough to start every day or play every down as it equates to football, but is more than capable of wearing multiple hats on the field or to provide quality relief in a pinch.

In McCluster’s two seasons with the Chiefs, he has rushed the ball 132 times for 587 yards (4.4 YPC) and one touchdown, while also catching 67 passes for 537 yards and two touchdowns. Other than a 94-yard punt return that went for a touchdown in a 21-14 victory over the San Diego Chargers in Week 1 of the 2010 season, McCluster’s special teams contributions have been less than stellar to boot.

When the Chiefs selected McCluster—a smallish running back out of Ole Miss—with the 36th pick in the 2010 NFL draft, some questioned the move. But when the organization promptly threw the slot wide receiver label on him, he instantly filled a hole in the depth chart, making the move somewhat acceptable at the time.

While not being utilized much his rookie season, McCluster was thrust into a larger role in 2011 due to injuries in the backfield. However, although playing well, it became apparent that he may not be cut out being featured on a grander scale and that he might be best employed in a more select fashion.

With injury and overall productivity concerns heading into the 2012 offseason, general manager Scott Pioli felt it best to collect as many viable weapons at all positions on the field.

The Chiefs were able to lure running back Peyton Hillis to Kansas City while also adding Cyrus Gray into the backfield mix during the draft.

With Jon Baldwin entering his second year at wide receiver and other holdovers in Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston, the Chiefs also took Devon Wylie—who figures to also get a look as a kick returner—and Junior Hemingway in the draft as well.

With a number of capable players filling up the Chiefs depth chart, McCluster just might be fighting for spot himself.

That is good problem for the Chiefs to have, but having a poor man’s Darren Sproles lost in the shuffle raises an interesting question: Do the Chiefs keep him on the roster as insurance or to draw up specific plays for him, or do they gather interest for his services on the trade market?

As the Chiefs are currently constructed, either option cannot be considered the wrong move.

With injury concerns over Jamaal Charles and with unproven depth at running back in Gray and at slot receiver/kick returner in Wylie, having a guy like McCluster around softens any blow should a setback occur in Charles’ recovery.

However, if the Chiefs endure a much healthier season than in 2011, McCluster’s potential value in a trade is diminished as he won’t get the opportunity to prove that his success to this point isn’t a fluke.

It will be very interesting to see how this situation plays out, but it seems as though time is running thin on McCluster’s time in Kansas City.

Contact Jeremy at [e-mail], on Twitter @KCPopFlyBoy and at popflyboys.com.