The Kansas City Chiefs didn't make any big-name additions to their wide receiver room last offseason, mainly because they didn't think anyone would be a better reinforcement than Rashee Rice. He had proven that he could be a number one option for Patrick Mahomes during the 2023 season and Super Bowl run.
He was due to play at some point after serving a suspension, and they couldn't have been higher on him. The season went by, Rice had a modest campaign, but expectations remained high going into this year. Then, once again, his poor decision-making off the field hurt the team when they needed him the most. And now, that's about to cost him a lot more money than ever imagined.
Rice has seen fellow wide receivers Drake London and Christian Watson land $141 million and $110.5 million in contract extensions this week alone. That could've been him, but after so much self-inflicted drama in his NFL career, that may no longer be the case.
The Chiefs must tread carefully with Rashee Rice's contract situation
Rice burst onto the scene as a rookie and looked like one of the biggest steals in his draft class. He developed instant rapport with Patrick Mahomes and was projected to be the team's primary pass catcher for years to come.
He's eligible to sign an extension, and judging by the current market, it's safe to say that the Chiefs would've gladly given him something in between what London and Watson got. Now, they don't even know if he'll be healthy come Week 1.
Rice underwent knee surgery, but he won't have access to the Chiefs' state-of-the-art facilities and resources for his rehab. Instead, he's serving jail time for a parole violation, and he's put his entire career in jeopardy because of that.
Even if the league doesn't suspend him as a repeated offender -- which is, admittedly, a big 'if -- how are the Chiefs supposed to trust him with a big-money deal when he's been so reckless while on his rookie deal?
Rice made a mistake -- a dangerous one -- and he still got a pass and a second chance. He knew this could've affected his livelihood, yet he didn't learn from it. When the Chiefs needed everyone pushing toward the same goal and rallying together to get back on track, he failed them again.
The Chiefs could still keep him in town for the long run, just not with the type of big-money deal he was for sure going to get. But judging by the way the offseason has fared for him, they'd be wise to wait and see how he looks after a full season before making any rash decisions.
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