The Kansas City Chiefs received unexpected Rashee Rice news ahead of training camp on July 17, and while the update was positive overall, it is now much more likely that their star wide receiver could be suspended in 2025 — and potentially, as soon as Week 1.
On the bright side, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach prepped for this exact scenario, making it a priority to re-sign Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster this offseason, but KC also has one more ace in the hole at wide receiver. Arrowhead Pride beat reporter Pete Sweeney was quick to identify that player, along with Smith-Schuster, just after the Rice update.
“Here are the Chiefs’ Week 5 stat lines against the [New Orleans] Saints in 2024 (the game following Rice’s injury),” Sweeney noted, posting a screenshot of the statistics. “WR JuJu Smith-Schuster should see an elevated role, and Kansas City views rookie WR Jalen Royals as ‘Rice light.’”
The veteran KC beat writer added that getting Royals “acclimated to the playbook fast will be crucial” at Chiefs training camp.
Jalen Royals’ Hype Has Been Subdued Despite Strong Spring With Chiefs
Royals made several impressive plays throughout OTAs and minicamp, but his hype was a bit subdued because of the Chiefs’ depth chart at wide receiver.
With Rice back and healthy again, Kansas City had three WRs that were guaranteed to get snaps over Royals, and knowing how the Chiefs typically operate, Smith-Schuster is likely ahead of the rookie to start training camp, too.
Don’t take that as some sort of slight against Royals. The fourth-round selection out of Utah State has done most things right so far.
As Sweeney referenced, the coaching staff was quick to compare him to Rice after OTAs got underway, and that’s not a bad player to be likened to.
Royals starting out lower on the depth chart is more a product of the way head coach Andy Reid operates. First, you learn the playbook and the scheme. Then, once you’ve got that part down, you begin to get more snaps with Patrick Mahomes and the first-team offense.
We saw the same process with Rice and Xavier Worthy, and look how they turned out.
Of course, WRs don’t always develop as anticipated. Skyy Moore has never panned out despite years of patience, and cast-offs like Mecole Hardman and Justyn Ross never realized their true potential in KC either.
That’s why getting Royals ready, the right way, is now one of the more important tasks of Chiefs training camp. And Rice’s update just accelerated the urgency of that endeavor.
Chiefs Can Survive Rashee Rice Suspension in 2025
Kansas City already proved that they can survive a Rice absence last year, and that was without Royals and Brown. This year will be no different, especially if the playmaker’s expected suspension is something short-term, like a two-to-four-game absence.
Compared to a season-ending injury, that’s nothing! And Rice might be better off, too, considering he’s coming back from knee surgery.
Although all reports out of KC indicated that Rice would be ready for Week 1, he may be better off waiting another two or four weeks to allow his knee more time to heal and stabilize itself. That could be the silver lining of this news.
In the meantime, keeping Worthy, Brown, Royals and Smith-Schuster all healthy throughout training camp should be a priority for the Chiefs, as is getting them ready to go by opening night.
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