What do we do with Rashee Rice this time next year?

[RunKC]

Assumptions:

-The Chiefs pay Trey, McDuffie and Karlaftis big contracts as Veach has noted

-Rice continues where he left off and has a great season that is 1,200 yards and 10 TD’s as a baseline. Also factoring in a small suspension just to be conservative with the projection.

-He’s clearly a top 10 WR like he was becoming last year. He’s now eligible to get paid and wants an extension of at least $30 million APY which would make him a top 5 WR. He thinks this bc his numbers reflect that of a top 5 WR.

-Worthy continues being awesome. Royals, while not Rashee, looks promising. Not a WR1, but a solid WR2 or WR3.

-Chiefs draft a WR prospect every year in the first 4 rds regardless of what they with Rice

What are you doing if you are Veach? The way I see it we have 4 options:

1. Trade him, either this time next year or after year 4 when you place the franchise tag on him. Value would likely be a mid 2nd rd pick value IMO. Maybe a 2nd + a day 3 pick.
2. Let him finish his 4 years and let him walk for a 3rd rd comp pick the following year
3. Let him finish his 4 year deal, franchise tag him for a year, then let him walk for a 3rd rd comp pick the following year
4. Pay him his contract and trade him after 2 years into the contract in 2028 for a day 3 pick (like we just did with Joe Thuney) and we save money on the cap.

What are you doing if you’re Brett Veach?

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I'm not tagging a WR these days.

Franchise figure when he's a FA is likely to be in excess of $25 million. Could be nearer $27 at the rate the market is headed.

I'd rather deal him off the tag than play him on it.

If he blows it out the next 2 years, something along the lines of 3500 yards and 20 odd touchdowns, I'd think you would approach the tag and trade option pretty well.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

If he blows it out the next 2 years, something along the lines of 3500 yards and 20 odd touchdowns, I'd think you would approach the tag and trade option pretty well.

Right -- that's why I say he's a tricky question. He'd have premier production at that point and a hell of a trade market.

So you'd have to ask yourself whether or not he's truly a top 5 NFL receiver (and those stats would make him that) or if he's a product of scheme and fit. And can those be duplicated with a drafted player.

I just don't think we can really make a guess right now. That story simply hasn't been written.

[RunKC]

FTR I’d probably go with option 4. Kelce coming off the books will certainly help. Chris Jones will likely be coming off the books around the time big cap hits start coming for Rice anyway.

So basically Rashee would be the only weapon on offense making big money for a few years.

I think that’s doable

[Wisconsin_Chief]

He will leave us with no choice but to pay him. I think he's catching 100 passes this year.

There will be a lot of guys coming off the books; Kelce, Smith, Taylor and Tranquill will save a ton, and the cap will likely skyrocket again. If Simmons and Kingsley play well on the left side, there's no way they'll resign Smith, they can fill that spot with Nourzad or Morris and be fine and cheap as hell.

This team is going to be electric this year, I can't wait.

[fuzzy]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yeah -- this doesn't seem that hard.

If he plays the the level he WAS playing at last season, it could complicate things a little bit as it really would put him at an 'elite WR' tier in terms of expected pay but I still see him as a very good WR rather than an elite one.

But man, at some point we're gonna wanna pay SOMEBODY in the WR room as a throughput. And at that point he'll have a pretty solid baseline established. Probably best to just find an extension for him.

If not...aight. Play him out on the 4th year then tag/trade him.

He'd have pretty strong value.

He's a lot like Karlaftis in that he plays a valuable position at a really high level but doesn't have a broad set of explosive tools. That's gonna make him a guy who WILL get paid near the top of the market but perhaps shouldn't. So you see what you can manage, what he's willing to accept and if it's not enough, you move along.

It comes down to how long do we expect Mahomes to play at a high level? If we are operating under the assumption that Mahomes will play at a high level for another 10 years then you trade Rice for draft capital instead of giving him a huge deal. This will extend the Super Bowl window for more years.

When Mahomes is 35 plus you would have to imagine that we start to operate with a more short term view and get involved with void years and overpays. Because the plan is that we are going to suck and rebuild for a few seasons after Mahomes is gone.

[Chris Meck]

I don't think I would pay top of the market for any WR. I think I trade him for a haul and draft another. I probably draft a WR every year.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Assumptions:

-The Chiefs pay Trey, McDuffie and Karlaftis big contracts as Veach has noted

-Rice continues where he left off and has a great season that is 1,200 yards and 10 TD’s as a baseline. Also factoring in a small suspension just to be conservative with the projection.

-He’s clearly a top 10 WR like he was becoming last year. He’s now eligible to get paid and wants an extension of at least $30 million APY which would make him a top 5 WR. He thinks this bc his numbers reflect that of a top 5 WR.

-Worthy continues being awesome. Royals, while not Rashee, looks promising. Not a WR1, but a solid WR2 or WR3.

-Chiefs draft a WR prospect every year in the first 4 rds regardless of what they with Rice

What are you doing if you are Veach? The way I see it we have 4 options:

1. Trade him, either this time next year or after year 4 when you place the franchise tag on him. Value would likely be a mid 2nd rd pick value IMO. Maybe a 2nd + a day 3 pick.
2. Let him finish his 4 years and let him walk for a 3rd rd comp pick the following year
3. Let him finish his 4 year deal, franchise tag him for a year, then let him walk for a 3rd rd comp pick the following year
4. Pay him his contract and trade him after 2 years into the contract in 2028 for a day 3 pick (like we just did with Joe Thuney) and we save money on the cap.

What are you doing if you’re Brett Veach?

Hopefully we don't have to sign him because Royals is so good. But I imagine we will have to resign.

[Chris Meck]

Here's the deal -

You show me the top of the market WR that picked up a ring while being paid #1, and I'll pay Rice. You're going to have go back a ways.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Chief

He will leave us with no choice but to pay him. I think he's catching 100 passes this year.

There will be a lot of guys coming off the books; Kelce, Smith, Taylor and Tranquill will save a ton, and the cap will likely skyrocket again. If Simmons and Kingsley play well on the left side, there's no way they'll resign Smith, they can fill that spot with Nourzad or Morris and be fine and cheap as hell.

This team is going to be electric this year, I can't wait.

A fun "did you know?"

Tyreek Hill's 111 receptions in 2021 account for the only time a Wide Receiver has ever broken the 100 barrier in an Andy Reid-led offense.

Tight end Travis Kelce has done it 3 times. The next closest were Tyreek Hill with 87 twice and Jeremy Maclin with 87 once, before it drops to Kevin Curtis and Terrell Owens with 77 once each.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

When he got hurt last season he was leading the NFL in receptions and was 2nd in receiving yards.

As long as he comes back 100% you pay the man.

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by el borracho

Need more information.

What are we getting from Worthy? What are we getting from Royals? Who is playing TE and how much are they contributing?

If one year from now we have Rice and nothing else then you probably have to pay him. If Worthy is also putting up 1200/ 10 and Royals is a big contributor and Wiley (or some other TE) is putting up big numbers then you probably trade Rice.

If Royals is legit I would tag Rice after his contract expires and trade.

[kcbubb]

I wouldn’t. He thought it was a good idea to race cars with drugs in the car. And who knows what else. Probably guns too. Take a lesson from the Steelers here and let him produce until that rookie contract is over and trade him.

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

When he got hurt last season he was leading the NFL in receptions and was 2nd in receiving yards.

As long as he comes back 100% you pay the man.

[tyecopeland]

Originally Posted by kcbubb

I wouldn’t. He thought it was a good idea to race cars with drugs in the car. And who knows what else. Probably guns too. Take a lesson from the Steelers here and let him produce until that rookie contract is over and trade him.

Take a lesson from the steelers who always make the playoffs but aren't good enough to win a playoff game? No thanks.

Take a lesson from the chiefs who always make the afc championship game, yes.

The lesson is the same.

[Wallymo]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

I don't think I would pay top of the market for any WR. I think I trade him for a haul and draft another. I probably draft a WR every year.

Agreed. Football jesus at quarterback means never paying top of the market to any receiver. Just keep the line moving and put the team's resources into protecting Mahomes or the defense. It's one of the biggest advantages we have over other teams. Above average -- or even average -- receivers will work.