In a somewhat surprising turn of events, the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t take a wide receiver early in the NFL Draft.
They let Marquise “Hollywood” Brown walk in free agency, and they haven’t added any big-name players to the mix yet, prompting speculation about a potential Tyreek Hill return.
However, that’s not the only issue they must address regarding their wide receiver corps.
According to Jesse Newell of The Athletic, the Chiefs still aren’t 100 percent sold on giving Rashee Rice a contract extension.
Rashee Rice will have a lot to prove for the Chiefs in 2026
“Rice is in the last year of his rookie deal, and he has a lot to prove this season,” Newell reported. “He struggled with drops and availability a year ago, and he also needs to prove he can go a calendar year without ending up in negative offseason headlines.”
Of course, that can always change if Rice proves that he can stay healthy and — more importantly — out of trouble.
“With a good year, could the Chiefs talk themselves into an extension? It’s at least possible, but there’s a long way to go between that potential reality and where things sit now,” added Newell.
Rice quickly emerged as Patrick Mahomes’ preferred target in the second half of his rookie season.
He looked like Tyreek Hill’s heir apparent before some issues off the field and injuries took a toll on his availability. Also, he wasn’t much of a factor once he was finally cleared to return last season.
This will be a crucial season for the SMU product. The talent is most definitely there, but availability is the best of abilities.
As things stand now, the Chiefs will roll into next season with a receiver corps of Rice, Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals and rookie Cyrus Allen.
That’s far from ideal, and it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think they might be interested in veterans like Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel or the aforementioned Hill.