Chiefs cling to slim hope that Rashee Rice can still return this season

For all of the back and forth about Rashee Rice over the last week, it's almost comical that the Chiefs are still primarily in the same position they were at the very beginning of his entire saga—shortly after injuring his leg in a Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

For the last seven days, the Chiefs have waited on the word of an initial in-game examination and then post-game tests to see how extensive the damage is to Rice's leg. From there, it was determined he needed further clarity to suss out specific details, which forced all parties involved to wait even longer until the swelling had gone down so that doctors could get a look at more imaging.

Rashee Rice will still undergo further tests after swelling on his leg injury goes down.

All week long, rumors have carried the mood back and forth in Chiefs Kingdom, with reports ranging from Rice's expected absence for the rest of 2024 to a potential return down the stretch. At the very least, Rice will miss four games due to being placed on injured reserve, but anything beyond that is a mystery.

The latest report brings some hope back into the mix with news that the Chiefs are still waiting to see if Rice's injury timeline might be as short as 6-8 weeks, per Adam Schefter. That much is certainly palatable for a team already 4-0 and hoping for a deep postseason run. To go without Rice for a stretch of two months isn't what anyone wanted, but it's an easier pill to swallow given the ultimate focus on playing well in January.

Rice's timeline is also vital for the Chiefs to figure out how to handle the upcoming NFL trade deadline on November 5. The Chiefs have been linked to a number of potential replacements for Rice already—from Keenan Allen of the Chicago Bears to DeAnde Hopkins of the Tennessee Titans to Amari Cooper of the Cleveland Browns. The magnitude of any trade would at least partially hinge on knowing if Rice could return or not in time to contribute.

Either way, the Chiefs should be expected to bolster the receiving corps. Even if Rice returns, there are no guarantees on how effective he will be and the team already lost Marquise "Hollywood" Brown for the season following a sternoclavicular injury and subsequent surgery.

Rice, the team's second-year wide receiver, was the second-round pick of the Chiefs in the 2023 NFL Draft and their leading receiver even as a rookie. So far this season, he had 24 catches for 288 yards and 2 scores in just three games.