The Kansas City Chiefs had a surprising draft, and it benefitted a couple of Chiefs whose status was in jeopardy
The Kansas City Chiefs made some unexpected moves in the draft a couple of weeks ago, with the most prominent being drafting for defense with their first three selections. Several of those moves ended up being votes of confidence for some key players, and Jesse Newell of The Athletic did a rundown of who benefitted.
Rashee Rice WR
Rice has been a controversial player for a while now in Kansas City, with some of the controversy revolving around his on-field play along with some issues that have come up off the field. Newell is one of many experts who thought the Chiefs would address their wide receiving room in the draft, but instead that didn’t happen.
The writer believes that GM Brett Veach is putting this faith in Rice on the field, and it’s hard to argue with that conclusion if you go by certain numbers, even though Rice has played in just 12 games in the last two seasons. Newell made the argument that Rice’s numbers have been strong when he has played, and apparently the Chiefs’ brain trust feels the same way.
One of Rice’s biggest strengths is his ability to get yardage after running short routes, and his route profile definitely fits that m.o. He was 12th among the 41 receivers who have done that and caught 50 passes, according to Newell, and the Chiefs love to use Rice on underneath routes to try to get him free in open space.
But Rice isn’t considered a complete receiver, and that’s where things get complicated. The combination of his production and behavior will determine what happens to him going forward, but for the moment he has yet another opportunity to step up and cement his status as a staple in Kansas City.
Chris Jones DT
Jones had a controversial season after getting caught loafing on a key play against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and there were rumors that the Chiefs might trade or cut him. Neither happened, probably in large part due to his age and the size of his contract, and instead the Chiefs finally drafted to get him some help.
Whether DT Peter Woods and edge rusher R Mason Thomas actually provide that help remains to be seen. But this is an opportunity for Jones to redeem himself in Kansas City, and if he does both he and the Chiefs will be very happy.
Cooper McDonald LB
McDonald is a relative unknown even among some Chiefs fans whose presence in this rundown is unexpected, but he’s apparently becoming very important. The Chiefs let linebacker Leo Chenal walk in free agency, and the undrafted free agent who is now in his second year will get more snaps. It’s a surprising development that bears watching in camp, and it shows how much Kansas City values McDonald as they give him a bigger role.