The Kansas City Chiefs only have one more game to play without star wide receiver Rashee Rice in Week 6, and the suspended pass-catcher preluded the news of his impending Week 7 return with an enticing three-word message to fans.
“Everybody Gotta Eat,” Rice posted on October 8, which is a relatively common NFL expression that refers to the offense spreading around the football to several playmakers.
When he’s at his best, quarterback Patrick Mahomes is known for getting different wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs involved in the passing game. However, he’s also been known to have favorite pass-catchers throughout his career.
Guys he can always rely on when the pocket breaks down and the going gets tough.
Obviously, future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce has been one of those players throughout Mahomes’ career, as was wideout Tyreek Hill before he was traded. To a lesser extent, a veteran running back like Jerick McKinnon served this purpose, too, and in 2024, it became clear that Rice was the next linchpin of this KC offense.
Just as the 2023 second-round pick began to take the torch from Kelce last year, he was sidelined with a devastating knee injury. His suspension eventually followed, making it almost a season and a half since Rice has taken the field for a regular season game.
That will change in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders, and once Rice is back in uniform, this entire offense expects to “eat.”
Rashee Rice’s Presence Will Make the Entire Chiefs Offense Work More Efficiently in Week 7 & Beyond
Poor Raiders. The recent AFC West punching bag will be the first defense that experiences the Kansas City offense back at full strength, assuming no major injuries occur in Week 6.
And the impact of Rice cannot be understated.
Like Kelce in his prime, Rice makes this entire offense go. Ironically, the current KC WR1 is nothing like Hill.
Yes, Rice can gash a defense with his yards after the catch ability or an occasional burner route down the sideline, but he’s not necessarily the main big-play threat within this offense. That would be speed demon Xavier Worthy or newcomer Tyquan Thornton.
Rice is more like Kelce in that he has a special knack for finding open space within the opposing defense. He also seemingly shares a brain with Mahomes, similar to the legendary tight end.
When Mahomes has that, and teams are forced to respect both Rice and Kelce as viable yards after catch options underneath, it opens up the deep passing game. Likewise, if teams dedicate their forces to stopping Worthy and Thornton over the top, guys like Rice, Kelce and Hollywood Brown should benefit in the empty pockets of space that open up beneath them.
This was always the devious plan for this new-look Chiefs offense, but we’ve yet to truly see it come to fruition due to injuries and suspensions. In Week 7, head coach Andy Reid hopes to finally have all his toys.
Chiefs Will Try Their Best to Avoid Going 2-4 Without Rice in Week 6
Before Rice retakes the field, the Chiefs will face off against one of the best teams in football: The Detroit Lions.
The Lions flaunt the offense that KC hopes to run out in Week 7. It’s efficient, well-oiled, well-blocked, and any number of playmakers can beat you at any time.
Their version of Rice is Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has developed into one of the top wide receivers in the game. He makes the Lions’ offense go, but he’s not alone.
The major differences between Detroit and Kansas City, offensively speaking, are quarterback and running back. The Lions have a much more dynamic RB duo in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, but Mahomes — a two-time NFL MVP — gives the Chiefs the QB advantage over Jared Goff.
If KC falls to the Lions on Sunday Night Football, they will start the season 2-4 without Rice, with a long way to climb before they’re back in the Super Bowl conversation.
Potential Titans trade deadline plans would be a nightmare scenario for Cam Ward
The Tennessee Titans are enduring a worst-case scenario season in 2025. They have been a train wreck in nearly every facet, and even rookie quarterback Cam Ward could not help himself when giving his honest assessment of the team.
All fans are waiting on the inevitable announcement of Brian Callahan's firing, which is virtually guaranteed to happen at some point. Fans are also anxiously waiting to see what players get dealt at the upcoming trade deadline, as the Titans are assured to be aggressive sellers.
They already traded Jarvis Brownlee for little return, which, given Mike Borgonzi's offseason moves, is another telling sign of what he thinks of players acquired by previous GM Ran Carthon. While the Titans will keep exploring opportunities to acquire draft capital, Kevin Zeitler is one player who should virtually be off limits.
Titans have to resist urge to trade veteran guard Kevin Zeitler at the deadline
The Titans signed Zeitler in the offseason to bolster their offensive line. Unfortunately, the whole unit has still struggled to start the season. Granted, they have been held back by injuries and difficult assignments, so it is one of the few areas on the team that truly has yet to get a fair opportunity to prove themselves.
Regardless, Zeitler has been a steady performer. The offensive line missed him dearly when he missed Week 3 due to injury. Zeitler is an excellent player on a one-year contract who could draw interest from Super Bowl contenders as the trade deadline approaches, but the Titans should be extremely reluctant to move him.
This season is about developing Ward and ensuring he is put in the best possible position to succeed. The Titans have already failed to support him adequately, so getting worse on the offensive line shouldn't be under consideration. Getting rid of Zeitler puts Ward in an even worse situation than he already finds himself in.
The only possible upside to trading Zeitler would be getting rookie Jackson Slater some experience before he's counted on to potentially be a starter next season. It is highly unlikely that Slater is far along enough in his development to replace Zeitler immediately. It would probably go poorly.
You also have to consider what the return for Zeitler might be. If he were to fetch back a top-100 pick, then the Titans might strongly consider that. But realistically speaking, a 35-year-old guard on an expiring contract is unlikely to command such a high asking price.
The Titans would be much better off keeping Zeitler and letting him adequately protect Ward. They should think long and hard about trading any offensive player who would negatively impact Ward's development. Of all the realistic candidates they should not trade, Zeitler tops the list.
