The Kansas City Chiefs copped a play from LA that has Rashee Rice in a brand new role.
The Kansas City Chiefs are making some fascinating changes on offense, and one involved a new role for controversial receiver Rashee Rice.
Rice is primarily know for two things: (1) big play potential involving yards after catch, and (2) getting in hot water with the law. He’s behaving himself on the latter front, but Rice is getting into all kinds of mischief with the former, according to a report from Jesse Newell of The Athletic.
Specifically, Rice is now being asked to be a physical blocker inside, and the model here is Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua. That creates all kinds of play-action opportunities, which the Chiefs are starting to use after featuring running back Kenneth Walker III in their opening win over the Denver Broncos.
The Rams play the Chiefs are copying is called a “C-Gap insert,” per Newell. It involved a fake run block before a route toward the middle of the field that starts between that specific gap, and Rice was able to pick up 30 yards on Kansas City’s version.
Rice is all in on this so far, probably because he has to be. He’s up for an extension that was very much in doubt going into the season. He missed minicamp after getting busted for THC and having his parole revoked, and Rice went into training camp with his playing status also on the sketchy side after his rehab was hindered by serving a 30-day jail sentence.
There’s risk in what the Chiefs are doing, however. Rice is smaller than Nacua, and the Chiefs are thin at wide receiver. Even a minor injury would result in tons of second guessing about doing this, which would be justified to at least some extent.
Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy complimented Rice for the job he did, as Bieniemy loves this sort of thing. He was hired to restore discipline, and so far Bieniemy has been able to get the Chiefs receivers to buy in on the concept of becoming blockers.
The discipline part of this comes from Bieniemy’s comments that he’s “alway on [Rice] about just working and finishing.” Rice isn’t always the most focused player on the field, as he proved late last year as he struggled costly drops that helped the Chiefs slide to 6-11.
It’s a development that’s well worth watching as the season continues to unfold, especially given the depth issue. It’s great that the Chiefs are trying new things, provided they can keep Rice and fellow receiver Xavier Worthy healthy.
