As the roster is currently constructed, there is no question that the Kansas City Chiefs are relying on Rashee Rice. The receiver depth chart has clear questions with the franchise needing Rice to be the primary target and star receiver he once was for the current group to reach their potential. This seems to be a fact that Rice is well aware of, as the receiver has continually made ill-advised decisions off the field and appears to put little stock in the threat of being pushed away from Kansas City.
A reality that the Chiefs should seriously consider as Rice continues to become a growing problem as we near the 2026 season. It is important to note here that any move to get rid of Rice must be preempted or followed by meaningful additions to the receiver depth chart that give the Chiefs a chance to find star production.
With this in mind, it makes increasing sense for the Chiefs to begin to explore potential trades of Rice ahead of a contract year. Tagging the receiver next offseason would be incredibly expensive, in the form of over $30 million for one season, while signing Rice to an extension cannot be a seriously considered option based on the track record of a player who has consistently made awful decisions.
Chiefs should consider trading Rashee Rice ahead of 2026 season
Trading away Rice now might be selling low, but it would give the Chiefs some return and send a strong message to the remainder of the roster. No matter the talent, there has to be a line and a standard that players are held to if the dynasty is going to be kept alive and the Chiefs are going to regain control of an increasingly difficult AFC West.
Going out and adding to the receiver position and moving on from Rice would speak to this outlook. Kansas City understands it cannot rely on contributions from Rice, as it's a guessing game each and every week whether or not there is going to be a surprise headline about a poor decision the receiver has made.
You cannot afford to extend this type of risk, and choosing to go into the season with Rice as your primary weapon risks not only things falling apart, but potentially the receiver walking away at the end of the season. Kansas City simply is in a losing situation and should begin to explore potential avenues of escape.
Trading away Rice would be the perfect final offseason move that sends a message to your roster and takes away one of the team's biggest worries heading into the season. The biggest hurdle is the Chiefs finding the needed replacements to build out the depth chart and allow themselves a viable chance to move on.
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