Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs learned as much as any team about the harsh reality of consistent availability. There were many reasons they lost Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles, sure. But not being at full strength at wide receiver and left tackle were at the top of the list.
Unfortunately, they’re experiencing a similar fate in the former regard. With wideout Rashee Rice officially set to miss the first six games of the year with a suspension, someone else will have to step up.
Head coach Andy Reid has one particular player in mind with Week 1 on the horizon.
Chiefs to Count on JuJu Smith-Schuster as Rashee Rice Replacement
Speaking to the media ahead of a game versus the Los Angeles Chargers, Reid singled out JuJu Smith-Schuster as a potential Rice replacement.
“Well, JuJu had a great camp and is â and I mean, he mentioned [it to] you guys â he’s in the best shape he’s been in in a long time,” Reid said. “So, he feels very good, and we have a lot of trust in him. But most of all, Patrick [Mahomes] has a lot of trust in him. So yeah, no, he can fill in that that role for sure. And then you’ve got a healthy [Marquise] Hollywood [Brown] that can play for you and Ty [Tyquan Thornton] came out and had a good camp for us. So, you know, he’s another one.â
Multiple things can be true here. First and foremost, no singular player is capable of filling Rice’s shoes in the Chiefs’ offense. In just three games to start last year, he hauled in 24 passes for 288 yards and a pair of touchdowns. That’s a full-season pace of 136 receptions, 1,632 yards and 11 scores. He surely wouldn’t have reached those numbers in 17 real games, but still, he seemed set for stardom.
Smith-Schuster is a questionable candidate himself. Despite being just 28 years old, he has a long injury history. He’s missed plenty of time in recent years, including his two respective one-year stints in Kansas City. He also isn’t the athlete Rice is. With the bad out of the way, however, he can do some good for the reigning AFC champs.
Look no further than Week 5 of last season, when Smith-Schuster had 7 catches for 130 yards. The upside is there with him. Even without it, he can fill multiple roles on offense. He’s able to align both outside and in the slot. He possesses a tremendous understanding of the offense, as well as timing and finding soft spots in zone coverage.
Additionally, Reid and Mahomes trust him. That matters.
Kansas City Draft Pick Nursing Knee Injury Entering Season
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, it looks like they’ll miss another wideout to kick off the season. Rookie Jalen Royals, hampered by knee tendonitis, is tracking to sit out what would’ve been his professional debut. He had 3 catches for 14 yards during the preseason, also factoring into the special teams picture.
Royals, similar to Rice in profile and skill set, was a natural fit to replace him. Reid seems to indicate that he won’t get the opportunity early on.
“Jalen continues to work to get himself better,” Reid said. “We’ll see how it goes. It’d be a real rush for this week for sure. So, it doesnât look like he’ll probably make this week, but should be ready to go as we go down the road here.”
The Chiefs do have quality depth in the receiver room, even as Rice and Royals sit out. At the top of the depth chart, Xavier Worthy could break out in year two. Brown, now on the other side of an ankle injury, is facing high expectations. Thornton, as Reid mentioned, enjoyed a great training camp and is a vertical threat. He popped during the preseason.
Taking on a division rival with a limited assortment of weapons is difficult. The Chiefs have shown they’re capable of responding to adversity, though.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Chiefs to Rely on Unsung Hero to Replace Suspended Rashee Rice appeared first on Heavy Sports.