Knile Davis re-signs with Chiefs after whirlwind three weeks

A whirlwind three weeks for Knile Davis has ended where it began — in Kansas City.

The Chiefs re-signed Davis on Saturday, just 19 days after they traded the fourth-year pro to the running back-needy Green Bay Packers for a conditional 2018 seventh-round draft pick.

But the Packers cut Davis — who logged five carries and 5 yards — earlier this week. According to Pro Football Talk, the Packers do not owe the Chiefs a pick because he was on the Packers’ roster for fewer than three games.

After his release by Green Bay, Davis was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets, who almost immediately released him after signing C.J. Spiller.

Davis cleared waivers on Friday and is once again a Chief, where he’ll be available to help a another team in need of a tailback.

When Davis was traded, the Chiefs had three healthy tailbacks in Spencer Ware, Jamaal Charles and Charcandrick West. They also had a promising young runner on the practice squad in Darrin Reaves.

But Ware sustained a concussion against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday and Charles’ knee issues flared up, as the Chiefs’ career leading rusher landed on injured reserve after having his meniscus trimmed earlier this week. That, plus a recent groin injury for Reaves, left Charcandrick West and the recently-signed Bishop Sankey as the Chiefs’ only healthy tailbacks.

Davis, 25, was chosen with the No. 96 overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft. He spent the first two seasons of his career as Jamaal Charles’ primary backup before ceding that role a year ago to West and eventually, Ware, after Charles’ season-ending injury in Oct. 2015.

Davis still served as an effective kick returner, however, scoring a 106-yard touchdown against Houston in last season’s AFC playoffs. He continued in that role this year, returning six kicks for 126 yards, the second-most on the team behind electric rookie Tyreek Hill, who has returned eight kicks for 188 yards.

Davis has logged a single carry for minus-2 yards this season with the Chiefs. For his career, he’s carried the ball 238 times for 780 yards, a 3.3-yard average. He also fumbled six times in his career, losing three, though he worked hard to conquer that issue — and improve his pass catching.

The Chiefs also signed defensive lineman David King from the practice squad on Saturday. Starting defensive tackle Jaye Howard has been battling a hip flexor this week and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

To make room for Davis and King, the Chiefs released offensive lineman Jordan Devey and placed guard Parker Ehinger on injured reserve.

This story was originally published November 5, 2016 at 12:18 PM with the headline "Knile Davis re-signs with Chiefs after whirlwind three weeks."