Rashee Rice’s injury from week 4 has a new and bittersweet update. While he is still expected to go under surgery on Tuesday, NFL Insider Ian Rapoport delivered the news of “full recovery” for the wideout.
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The analyst reported that after the tests on Monday, Rice’s 2024 season is expected to be over. This means that the Chiefs will have to continue their strive for a three-peat without the star WR. However, Rapoport also shared:
“A little bit of potential good news. The expectation is that his ACL will not need to be reconstructed. His PCL also likely okay. That means shorter recovery for Rashee Rice.”
The initial fear of an ACL tear has been put to rest for now. The news will be confirmed only after more tests and surgery are done. According to reports, Dr. Dan Cooper has also expressed that Rice will probably need repair only in the lateral collateral ligament.
If this is confirmed to be true, Rice will need potentially just three months to recover. While he might still choose to sit out for the rest of the season, the WR will get plenty of time in the offseason to recover and come back healthy for the 2025 games.
After a series of injury upsets in the form of Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs were heavily dependent on Rice.
Alas, the unfortunate collision with QB Patrick Mahomes during the game against the Chargers has added to the Chiefs’ worries.
Rice played a crucial part last season as the Chiefs went on to win another Super Bowl title. Before the injury, the wide receiver caught 24 passes for 288 yards and two TDs. Thus, it becomes salient for the team to look for a potential replacement at the earliest.
Who can replace Rashee Rice?
Despite being put on IR for 4 weeks, it seems that Rice will likely not take on the gridiron for the rest of the season. This spells trouble for the Red Army.
While there is depth in the form of tight end Travis Kelce and receivers Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson, and others, the Chiefs need a solid solution as Rice’s replacement if they want to increase their Super Bowl chances.
Recently re-signed running back Kareem Hunt, who rumbled for 69 yards on 14 carries in the Chargers game, could be one of the options.
Meanwhile, analysts have predicted a potential trade to fill the void in the Chiefs‘ offense. Among many options available for the Chiefs, who have $4.93 million in cap space, some of the top choices are:
DeAndre Hopkins, currently a Titan, is set to be a free agent in 2025. His season so far has looked promising, especially the week 3 game with 6 catches and 1 TD. While the Titans are 1-3, Nuk showcased his potential last year as well with 1,057 yards and if he is paired with Mahomes, it could work like magic on the field.
DeVante Adams is another option. If Mahomes is given Adams’s assistance, the Chiefs’ offense will be formidable. Adams is reportedly looking for a trade and the Chiefs could potentially turn out to be his new home.
Apart from these big names, other potential trade options might include Amari Cooper, Diontae Johnson, and Elijah Moore, according to the NFL writer Kevin Patra.
