Fresh off their back-to-back Super Bowl wins, the Kansas City Chiefs might face trouble in their receiver room regarding Rashee Rice. After his car crash and the ensuing legal drama, the Chiefs are in a space of uncertainty about Rice’s status for the 2024 season. Rumors suggest the league might suspend the wideout for a few games; however, Nick Wright believes otherwise.
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During his recent appearance on ‘What’s Wright?,’ Nick speculated on the possibility of Rice being suspended by the league. He believes there is almost no chance that the commissioner will suspend him this season.
In Wright’s opinion, the time for a suspension has passed, considering it has been over three months since the accident. The analyst argued that the league is awaiting the resolution of the legal trouble, which could take months, possibly extending beyond the 2024 season.
“I said it last week. I’ll say it again; I don’t think he’s getting suspended this year. I do think he’s eventually getting suspended, but if they were going to suspend him before the legal process played out, they’d already done it.”
The Chiefs will now need to focus more on their rookie receiver, Xavier Worthy, and their newly signed veteran, Hollywood Brown. However, the possibility of Rice’s absence could hamper the team significantly, given his undeniable contribution to the gridiron.
Rashee Rice Had a Stellar Rookie Season in 2023
While talking about Rice’s case, Wright elaborated on the clear distinction between his caliber on the field as well as his actions off it. The WR has been a sensational talent, putting up close to 1000 yards from just 79 receptions. He also tallied 7 touchdowns in the regular season and one crucial score in the playoffs. Additionally, the SMU alum currently holds the record for most postseason receptions by a rookie (26).
Therefore, in the coming years, Rashee will definitely feature as a top receiver in the league. And he has the luck of playing alongside a QB as inventive as Patrick Mahomes. Keeping all these factors in mind, Wright believes that Rice has the potential to be a deadly force.
“Off the field stuff is a separate issue. On the field, he is an excellent player, who had d*mn near a thousand yards as a rookie. And now he’s gonna be your featured top receiver.”
However, his legal troubles have the potential to pose a long-term impact on the direction of his career in the league. For now, all Rice and the Chiefs can do is wait and see the direction of the verdict and hope for the best.