Chiefs predicted to add WR help in NFL draft after Rashee Rice news
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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice.
The Kansas City Chiefs are in a pickle with wide receiver Rashee Rice.
Dacoda Jones, Rice’s ex-girlfriend, has filed a civil lawsuit against him, alleging that Rice engaged in physical abuse towards her from December 2023 until July 2025. This is surfacing following a season in which Rice was suspended six game for his role in a multi-vehicular crash back in 2024.
Rice is a talented receiver, but the constant off-field issues are holding him – and the Chiefs – back. He has also struggled to stay healthy, missing 13 games in 2024 with a torn LCL, and three games in 2025 with a concussion. NFL insider Dan Graziano joined Sports Radio 810 WHB on Wednesday and discussed Rice’s future in Kansas City.
Sports Radio 810 WHB
NFL Insider Dan Graziano comments on the availability of #Chiefs WR Rashee Rice.
Live on The Program with @SorenPetro from the NFL Combine!
Kansas City Chiefs Cannot Count on WR Rashee Rice to Be Available in 2026
Graziano had this to say when asked by host Soren Petro if the Chiefs should wash their hands of Rice before the 2026 season:
“We don’t know every detail, and we don’t know how this is going to shake out,” Graziano said of Rice’s civil lawsuit. “What I’ll keep it to is the issue of football and availability. This is a player that was suspended for six games last year on personal conduct policy.
“If the NFL investigates and decides there’s been another personal conduct policy violation, then odds are the next suspension will be longer than six games, and possibly a lot longer than six games. So now, if you’re the Chiefs, it’s not about a value judgment about how he behaves off the field, it’s more about, is this guy going to be consistently available to us? And if he’s not, how do we commit money to that?”
Graziano concluded by saying he does not believe the Chiefs can count on Rice moving forward.
“It piles up. It gets to the point where you’re like, no, we can’t count on this guy, as great as he is.”
Chiefs’ Options With Rashee Rice
Rashee Rice and the Chiefs got a message from Tyreek Hill after Week 7 vs Raiders.
GettyKansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice
The logical thing for Kansas City to do is construct their offseason plan as if Rice will not be available to play at all. If the NFL decides he has indeed once again violated the personal conduct policy, he will miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season. Counting on him not only to be around, but be the offense’s top receiver, is simply too risky.
The Chiefs need to either find a new, clear-cut No. 1 receiver, or acquire a couple of second tier guys and go with a committee approach like they in 2022 and 2023. They currently have just four other receivers besides Rice their roster – Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals, Jason Brownlee, and Jimmy Holiday. If Rice ends up being cleared and misses no time, then it’s a tremendous bonus.
Some are clamoring for Kansas City to trade Rice, but it’s unlikely a team will want to give up any assets for a player with that much baggage and may not even play next season. If Rice does get suspended, the Chiefs would be wise to release him and not waste a roster spot. Unfortunately, this situation will probably play out slowly, forcing the team to be patient.