Chiefs Land Ideal Rashee Rice Replacement in Blockbuster Projected Trade

The Chiefs have to evaluate all possible options in replacing star WR Rashee Rice's production. Several names are already being floated as trade targets, but Amari Cooper of the Browns stands out above the rest.

One new projected trade would land Cooper in Kansas City. It seems he's falling out of favor for a middling 1-3 Cleveland squad, and the nature of his contract means he'd easily fit into the Chiefs' limited cap space.

A five-time Pro Bowler, Cooper just posted 1,250 receiving yards in 2023. He's got plenty left in the tank and could push the Chiefs over the top in their pursuit of a third straight Super Bowl.

Chiefs Land Browns WR Amari Cooper in Projected Trade

This season isn't going as planned for Cooper. He's caught only 16 of 37 targets with a league-leading six drops. However, he's only had two seasons with a drop percentage higher than 5.6% in his career, so I believe he'll regress to the mean with a bigger sample size.

Even still, the Browns are a mess going nowhere. Deshaun Watson is perhaps the worst QB in the league and Cleveland needs a complete overhaul. They're unlikely to re-sign Cooper to a long extension this offseason. Thus, getting a high third-round pick and an extra fifth-rounder represents good value.

Cooper is a big, physical receiver who routinely makes contested catches down the field. He's a great complement to Xavier Worthy and Travis Kelce, giving the Chiefs three capable pass-catchers.

There's no direct replacement for Rice, though Cooper might be the best theoretical option available. The Browns have to be willing to do business and we don't know if they'd be willing to work with an AFC foe. That being said, they've got no real championship aspirations and Cooper likely isn't staying past this year.

This is a trade that makes sense for both sides. If Cleveland is interested, Brett Veach should make it happen.

More Kansas City Chiefs News: