Andrew Buller-Russ
The Kansas City Chiefs kick off their organized team activities on May 26, but after violating his probation, starting wide receiver Rashee Rice won’t be in attendance. He’ll also miss the team’s mandatory minicamp in June while serving a 30-day jail sentence.
While Rice’s absence provides other receivers with the opportunity to step up and master the offense, it also means Kansas City’s scoring attack will be missing another important aspect. Eventually, the Chiefs may feel like they have no choice but to strengthen their WR corps, possibly via trade.
According to Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer, the Chiefs could “circle back” to a trade for Philadelphia Eagles receiver A.J. Brown. Previous reports have suggested that it’s “sort of understood” that the Eagles are trading Brown, but the belief is that the Pro Bowl wideout will be headed to the New England Patriots, where he’d reconnect with his former head coach, Mike Vrabel.
Yet, without a trade being submitted to the NFL, there’s always the chance for a team like the Chiefs to “circle back” and make a stronger offer for Brown than the Patriots potentially have.
Plus, the Chiefs were a popular choice to select a receiver in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s possible the draft board didn’t fall the way Chiefs general manager Brett Veach wanted, so they wrapped up the first night with cornerback Mansoor Delane and defensive tackle Peter Woods instead.
If the Chiefs really did have a receiver high on their target list headed into draft night, then it’s certainly possible that Kansas City will make a stronger push for an impact receiver before training camp gets underway on July 21.
Related: 5 Kansas City Chiefs WR Targets to Watch as Rashee Rice Situation Develops
