Even trading for Rashee Rice replacement might not be enough for Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs made it through the opening month of the 2024 season with an unblemished record. 

Despite the undefeated start, the reigning Super Bowl champions have not played up to their standard. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has played poorly, often reverting back to the sloppy footwork and poor pocket awareness that concerned scouts during his pre-draft process.

Mahomes’ poor start to the season delivered a crippling blow to the team during Sunday’s 17-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Early in the game, Mahomes tried to fire a pass to tight end Travis Kelce, but the ball sailed over Kelce and into the waiting arms of Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton. Mahomes compounded the mistake when he attempted to tackle Fulton but instead chopped down wide receiver Rashee Rice, who is believed to have torn his ACL.

Rashee Rice won’t be easily replaced with a trade

There has been plenty of trade speculation following Rice’s injury. In most instances, the thought of Kansas City acquiring an All-Pro wide receiver is nothing more than a pipe dream.

Even if Chiefs general manager Brett Veach managed to find a trade partner, salary cap restrictions could limit the team’s ability to acquire a talented player. Either way, the addition of another wide receiver likely wouldn’t be enough to resuscitate the Chiefs offense. 

Rice’s value to the Chiefs cannot be overstated. Before his injury, Rice’s 37.2 percent target share was second only to New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers in the NFL, per ESPN’s Ben Solak.

Rice’s production was far too great to replace with a trade unless the wide receiver acquired is an All-Pro talent. Great players typically do not become available for midseason trades, and Kansas City may have trouble finding willing trade partners when every team in the league is desperately attempting to take them down. While the Las Vegas Raiders may trade wide receiver Davante Adams, it’s unlikely they would ever trade him to their AFC West rival.

Solak also suggested that there is no guarantee a wide receiver would be able to find chemistry with Mahomes immediately. 

“Isn't the whole magic of Rice that he has developed this excellent chemistry with Mahomes, much in the way Kelce has over the past several seasons?“ Solak wrote. “I am extremely dubious of any receiver's ability to join the Chiefs midseason and immediately take on WR1 volume. That simply is not how Mahomes operates or how this offense is designed. So the cavalry might come, but I'm not sure reinforcements are enough.”

Rice generated first downs or touchdowns on 46.9 percent of his targets, the seventh-best mark of any receiver this season. Rice had 15 receiving first downs through three games, while no other Chiefs player had more than four first-down receptions.

That level of production would be hard to match for any receiver who hasn’t had time to practice with Mahomes or become fully immersed in coach Andy Reid’s system. For now, the Chiefs will just have to lean on their defense and limit their two-time MVP quarterback to conservative game management.