During last week’s NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs made it well known that they were looking to add to their receiver room. Kansas City opted for a trade-up in the first round, selecting former Texas Longhorns speedster Xavier Worthy. The Worthy addition comes just a month after the team signed former first-round pick and 1,000-yard pass-catcher Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. After all, the continuous additions at wideout make sense, given that their leading receiver from last season faces an uphill legal battle.
Soon-to-be second-year wide receiver Rashee Rice, fresh off a stellar rookie campaign, could face a lengthy suspension after causing a six-car collision resulting from a high-speed hit and run. Rice fled the scene on foot and turned himself into authorities after police issued an arrest warrant. He faced six counts of collision involving injuries, one count of aggravated assault, and one count of a crash involving serious bodily injury. Meanwhile, a small amount of marijuana was found inside his vehicle. One Chiefs insider, James Palmer, believes, at a minimum, Rice will miss half of next season.
James Palmer: Expect a Lengthy Suspension at Minimum for Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice
James Palmer, a longtime football insider, has Kansas City Chiefs wideout Rashee Rice pegged for at least an eight-game suspension in 2024. On an appearance on the Agent 89 Breakdown Show hosted by longtime NFL standout Steve Smith, Palmer didn’t mince words when talking about the repercussions Rice will face after running into legal trouble this offseason.
“He’s going to be suspended, let’s just put it out there. He will miss half the season, at least,” said Palmer about Rice’s 2024 outlook. At a minimum, Palmer believes that Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes must operate without his top wideout for at least half the season.
Rice’s potential shelving could be one of the NFL’s most extended non-indefinite suspensions in history. Dallas Cowboys rusher Ezekiel Elliot sat eight games in 2017 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy regarding domestic violence. Meanwhile, fellow rusher and NFL superstar Adrian Peterson missed six games in 2014 as a result of child abuse charges.
Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice: Fantastic Rookie Campaign
On the field, Kansas City Chiefs wideout Rashee Rice played like a budding superstar in 2023. A rookie second-round pick from SMU, Rice struggled to produce out the gate before exploding for eight catches for 107 yards and a touchdown in a Week 11 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Rice quickly became a favorite target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, snagging eight passes for 64 yards the following game. The six-foot-two, 203-pound pass-catcher finished the season on a tear, registering 43 receptions, 518 yards, and three scores in his final six games.
Rice also played well in the postseason, catching 26 of 33 targets for 262 yards and a touchdown. He had six catches for 39 yards during his team’s overtime victory against the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl.
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