The Kansas City Chiefs have exercised a shocking level of patience with receiver Rashee Rice, who has continued to make poor off-the-field decisions. The latest example of this is Rice opting to ignore the terms of his probation, resulting in a 30-day jail sentence. For KC fans, this has led to an inability to rely on the receiver and left some obvious questions as to why the Chiefs remain so patient with a player who is clearly unreliable.
SleeperChiefs provided a clear answer to this quandary, pointing out that through 31 games, including the playoffs, the duo of Rice and Mahomes has produced 2,032 yards, 14 touchdowns, and a stellar 74% completion percentage. It's hard to pretend that this is anything other than elite numbers from a player who remains a clear source of frustration.
Kansas City is opting to exercise patience, understanding the elite ceiling of the duo, even if it comes with a level of risk. If there is one remaining critique for Kansas City's decision-making, it is the lack of a fallback plan. Rice has proven that one is needed, and the Chiefs are clearly unprepared if this elite production doesn't continue.
Rice is set to be the primary receiver with Tyquan Thornton and Xavier Worthy completing the starting lineup. After this trio, it appears that Jalen Royals and rookie Cyrus Allen are the favorites for the depth receiver roles.
Chiefs' unexpected patience with Rashee Rice can be explained by elite production
Still, looking at the numbers as a whole makes it understandable why the Chiefs are okay opting to be patient with Rice. It doesn't set a great example for the rest of the roster, but it is a rare example of a player whose tolerance level is beyond that of much of the roster due to the clear chemistry with Mahomes.
Subtracting the receiver from the roster would leave Kansas City in an obvious bind without one piece capable of reaching this level of production. While some might point to Travis Kelce, who was the team's leading receiver a season ago, at this late stage of his career, it isn't a fair ask of the aging tight end to put the weekly wear-and-tear on his body.
The Chiefs need Kelce to be used with a level of strategy that saves the tight end's best moments for when the season matters most. With this in mind, it becomes a bit easier to understand why the Chiefs have remained patient with Rice and what the expectations are moving forward.
Add us as a preferred source on Google