The back-to-back defending champion Kansas City Chiefs will be without their leading receiver for the foreseeable future. Second-year wideout Rashee Rice suffered a knee injury early in Kansas City’s Week 4 tilt against the Los Angeles Chargers. The injury occurred on an interception return in which QB Patrick Mahomes inadvertently collided with Rice’s knee while attempting to make a tackle. It seems like Rice was able to avoid a complete tear, but the Chiefs announced that he will be going to the IR and miss at least the next four games.
It comes as a brutal blow to a passing attack that hasn’t been able to find its stride. Going into the Week 4 matchup, Rice was the only Chiefs receiver who had over 100 receiving yards on the season. 15 of his 24 receptions have gone for first downs and Mahomes has often leaned on him in crucial situations over the last calendar year. Kansas City’s offense has looked off for quite some time. Losing Rice could make the whole operation look even more disjointed.
In his absence, rookie Xavier Worthy and future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce enjoyed their best days of the season versus the Chargers. Worthy caught three receptions for 73 yards — including a 54-yard deep ball from Mahomes. Kelce hauled in seven receptions, nearly doubling his season total (came into Week 4 with eight catches). His 89-yard total is higher than all but three of his regular season performances from a year ago.
With Rice out for at least the next month, the Chiefs will need Worthy, Kelce, and other receivers to step up. Additionally, we may see more targets for pass-catching specialist Samaje Perine and the recently signed Kareem Hunt. But, it wouldn’t surprise us if the Chiefs take a look around the league for reinforcements.
Of course, they don’t have to look too far for an ideal target. Raiders WR Davante Adams recently expressed his desire to be traded. Adding Adams to this team would be a scary sight for the rest of the league. His ability to create separation and make contested catches could potentially make the Chiefs’ offense unstoppable. Reportedly, Vegas’ asking price for Adams starts with a second-round pick. What’s a second-round pick to a team that should once again be Super Bowl favorites?
It’s hard to imagine the Raiders trading within the division, especially a move that would greatly help one of their biggest rivals. Acquiring Adams would be perfect, but is unlikely. The same idea holds if Kansas City expressed interest in Denver’s Courtland Sutton. The Chiefs would have to look for another trade partner.
A team that comes to mind is the Carolina Panthers, who have two veteran wideouts that could potentially be had — Adam Thielen and Diontae Johnson. Giants speedster Darius Slayton would add another deep threat, or the Chiefs could take a chance on 2023 third-round pick Jalin Hyatt who has found it difficult to get playing time in New York. The Jaguars could become sellers in a hurry, and that would potentially make Christian Kirk available. Kirk is the type of tough, reliable route runner who often thrives in Andy Reid offenses. Staying in the AFC South, Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins joining the Chiefs would be much bigger news if it happened a few years ago, but the five-time Pro Bowler might be re-ignited joining a contender.
The Chiefs have given themselves a nice cushion sitting at a 4-0 record. They can afford to have Rice on the mend for a while as we enter the middle of the season. However, the passing offense needs a boost even when Rice returns to the field. Adding another wideout in the meantime and getting them accustomed to Mahomes and the rest of KC’s offense could pay dividends down the road.