Chiefs Roster: Why Rashee Rice can be a productive receiver in 2023

Everybody has heard the narrative about rookie vast receivers below Kansas Metropolis head coach Andy Reid: it’s extremely troublesome to crack the lineup as a first-year wideout due to the advanced system.

A participant like Mecole Hardman was an exception, utilizing his elite pace to rack up 538 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns in 2019. The rule is extra like Skyy Moore, who solely totaled 267 receiving yards and one landing within the closing sport.

This season, second-round choice Rashee Rice will likely be testing that concept. Even with such a deep room of vast receivers, Rice has stood out this preseason — and is making the case to interrupt the perceived worth of a rookie receiver within the Chiefs’ offense.

I checked out his efficiency from the primary two preseason video games to strengthen his argument:

Playmaking from the slot

This preseason, Rice has lined up within the slot on 65% of his snaps. It was the very best price among the many first and second-team vast receivers, a statistic that will catch some off guard. Rice measured in at 6’1” and 204 lbs. on the NFL Mix, then in contrast his sport to All-Professional DeAndre Hopkins.

That doesn’t sound like the standard slot receiver, but it surely’s typical for the Chiefs to love measurement in that spot. JuJu Smith-Schuster made performs from that alignment, and so did Sammy Watkins a couple of years again.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes agrees, evaluating the rookie to Watkins in his post-game press convention final week.

The comparability comes from every’s bodily talent set, with the ability to transfer successfully in open house with sufficient measurement to brush off arm tackles but in addition explode via seams; Rice recorded a 1.49-second 10-yard break up on the NFL Mix, a mark that’s within the 93rd percentile for receiver prospects traditionally.

It’s why you will have seen the Chiefs get the ball in Rice’s fingers rapidly this preseason. On this fast display screen, Rice explodes up the sphere and weaves via visitors for a giant achieve. He has additionally obtained jet-sweep handoffs and different quick-hitting performs.

On the identical time, Rice has proven efficient wiggle earlier than and after the catch, serving to him win on routes or create extra yards after the catch. On this primary play, Rice fakes an inside route downfield then breaks outdoors, doing it so rapidly that he fully loses his defender in man protection.

On the second play, Rice catches a slant on the run, then makes use of a nasty juke transfer to get previous the protection coming down on him. Once more, this burst and alter of course is exclusive for Rice’s measurement, identical to it was for Watkins.

The little issues

Rice is the group’s receiving chief this preseason, catching 11 of his 13 targets and turning them into 126 yards. The 2 targets not accomplished proper in his fingers and dropped. We will acknowledge them whereas additionally understanding they don’t inform us an excessive amount of about future manufacturing.

Within the targets round these drops, Rice confirmed off toughness on the catch level. He secures each of those passes earlier than taking a great hit. On the primary one, veteran security Jonathan Abram had an important type deal with and drove Rice into the bottom after going at full pace, but Rice bounced proper again up with the ball secured.

On the second play, Rice takes a blindside deal with from the cornerback and stays up via the contact. His measurement permits him to soak up it, which might make him a extra dependable tight-window goal.

His measurement additionally makes him a extra fascinating blocker than different receivers who can man the slot for Kansas Metropolis. Within the first video, you see the Chiefs belief Rice to dam an edge rusher in an effort to seal the rollout of Mahomes. There are extra physically-overwhelming ends than the participant Rice needed to block right here, but it surely nonetheless reveals the Chiefs’ belief in him to assist defend Mahomes.

Within the subsequent video, you see nice effort and tenacity from Rice as he blocks a cornerback on the perimeter of a run play. These performs are an instance of how he could possibly be on the sphere over gamers like Moore or Kadarius Toney on a given play. He brings a blocking factor that could possibly be extra necessary over the course of a sport relying on the matchup.

His time with the starters

Among the many 26 snaps Mahomes has taken this preseason, Rice has been on the sphere for 11 of them. That’s the fourth many of the group’s receivers which have performed this preseason, and just one snap behind Justin Watson in third.

His involvement is an efficient signal, but it surely’s how he has been concerned — even on the 2 drops he had this preseason. The primary play is with the second-team offense, but it surely’s an instance of the group desirous to get him the ball with momentum into house.

On the second play, Rice is featured as the first route in one of many Chiefs’ staple performs: a run-pass possibility that mixes a primary run idea with a slant route, one which Mahomes will goal if he sees the linebackers chunk too arduous on the run motion.

It’s considered one of Kansas Metropolis’s favourite methods to get playmakers into house, and placing Rice in that spot with the starters reveals the Chiefs are interested by utilizing him that means.

The underside line

It’s straightforward to miss Rice as an impactful participant this 12 months, particularly with how many individuals he has to compete with for enjoying time. On prime of that, he’s a rookie within the Chiefs’ system.

Nonetheless, Rice has accomplished almost every part proper on the sphere this preseason to buck that pattern. If he continues exhibiting these expertise in opposition to more durable competitors, it is going to be inconceivable to maintain him out of the common rotation.