The Kansas City Chiefs have plenty of intriguing decisions to make this offseason, including what to do about their receiving corps. The Chiefs were unstoppable for a stretch during the midseason, but now they have a new issues to consider.
In 2023, Rashee Rice looked like an emerging star who could carry the Chiefs receivers for years. Now, it’s fair to ask if Kansas City should move on from him given some of the issues that have surfaced, both on the field and off.
His first offseason issue has been well-chronicled. Rice was involved in a street-racing incident in his home state of Texas last summer that hurt a lot of people, but at least he was penitent and apologetic about it. Now, though, with the domestic abuse allegations that have surfaced, the Chiefs have to be wondering if he’s going to be one of those players who’s always in trouble or skirting the edge of it.
Rice’s on-the-field issues are probably more troublesome to coach Andy Reid. He struggled with drops down the stretch, and they always seemed to come at the worst possible moment. Is this really the player you want to anchor your receiving corps given what’s happened with Rice in the last calendar year?
The struggles of receiver Xavier Worthy are also noteworthy, but at least the Chiefs knew about those in advance. A lot of people wondered how Worthy would hold up in the NFL given his relatively slight frame, and sure enough, Worthy has had a tough time staying on the field.
Kansas City’s tight-end situation is compounding this particular problem. Travis Kelce might indeed come back, but he’s not the same player, and everyone knows it. The Chiefs have used the creativity and athleticism of quarterback Patrick Mahomes to build a dynasty, but at this point it looks like some serious changes are going to be necessary to a lot of Kansas City’s basic offensive concepts.
The problem with moving on from Rice right now is that it would be a classic “sell low” move at the moment. Rice would probably fetch a third-day draft pick in any deal at the moment, unless that deal includes some creative packaging.
A lot of experts have suggested that the Chiefs could use a big receiver who can make plays on the boundary, and that’s not a bad idea. It’s not the way Reid typically rolls, but at least it would give the Kansas City a different look going forward after a year in which the offense often looked stale and predictable.