Kansas City Chiefs fans remember Rashee Rice's reappearance in Week 7 of the 2025 NFL season. He devastated the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium in his return to the lineup with 7 catches for 42 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 31-0 win, giving a glimpse of what the Chiefs look like at their best.
But the problem with Rice is that he constantly finds himself missing time for one reason or another. Whether it be injuries, legal issues, or this time, both, Rice doesn't exactly have the highest value in Kansas City when following the old NFL adage that "availability is your best ability."
Although Rice should be healthy and able to avoid further punishment to begin the 2026 NFL season, his long-term future with the Chiefs should be anything but secure. As a result of that reality, general manager Brett Veach could be scanning the market for potential big-ticket moves to make at wide receiver.
The WR options vary wildly
Tyreek Hill is still available on the open market and will likely continue to be until teams get better insight into his injury. But a reunion with Hill has felt inevitable for many Kansas City fans for quite some time, and given the latest Rice drama, a move on that front has perhaps never felt so real.
A.J. Brown's future with the Philadelphia Eagles is seemingly decided as well, and although it has been a foregone conclusion that he'll reunite with Mike Vrabel and join the New England Patriots, perhaps Veach could throw his hat in the ring and see if he can make something shake.
Brian Thomas Jr. may actually be the most intriguing option rumored to be available, even if Jacksonville Jaguars GM James Gladstone has insisted that he's not available. But commonly in this league, where there is smoke, there is fire. And the smoke is pluming around Thomas in South Florida.
Thomas Jr. is the youngest of the aforementioned players, and despite a downturn in production as a sophomore, he still has the requisite speed and route-running ability to be a long-term difference-making 'X' receiver in the NFL, and that has to strike Veach's fancy.
Kayshon Boutte is also a name being floated on the trade block, as the Patriots' addition of Romeo Doubs and looming trade for Brown make him expendable. And it certainly doesn't help that Boutte is holding out, so he could be on the move for a fifth or sixth-rounder, according to Albert Breer.
And then there is Stefon Diggs, who often finds himself mired in controversy as well. But when combining a strong pedigree and recent success, Diggs may actually be the best option for the Chiefs, if they can tolerate him and the price is right.
With Diggs and Hill, they wouldn't have to give up draft capital to land them, as they would with Brown, Boutte, or Thomas Jr. The same goes for former Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, a true veteran who still has gas in the tank but whose best days are clearly behind him.
The Chiefs need more than internal optimism at WR
Ultimately, between a few injuries and a genuine lack of trust that he'll stay out of trouble, the Chiefs have to be panicking a bit about Rice's future. Xavier Worthy hasn't yet been what he was touted to be, and Tyquan Thornton is unproven as a wideout despite a nice breakout effort last year.
Cyrus Allen and Jeff Caldwell come from Cincinnati with their share of promise and hype, and let's not let Jalen Royals get lost in the shuffle this offseason, either. But let's not also act like Kansas City's wide receiver room could be in serious peril a year from now.
That's why I could see Veach getting a bit aggressive and making a move on this front, to sew up the future and increase the odds of a title run in one fell swoop. Andy Reid won't coach forever, nor will Travis Kelce likely play beyond this year. The Chiefs' current Super Bowl window is closing.
With Patrick Mahomes, that door will never be fully shut. And he's played Superman in the past and carried a poor receiving corps to Lombardi Trophies before. But with Mahomes coming off an ACL tear, Veach can't ask him to shoulder almost all of the load again this year.
So, with Rice's latest issue, it is almost a no-brainer for Kansas City's GM to pick up the phone and at least kick the tires on some notable wide receivers around the league. It is a good way to hedge your bets, and thankfully, there is no shortage of solid options out there.
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