Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is widely expected to miss the remainder of the 2024 season. He suffered the injury when Patrick Mahomes hit his knee while trying to make a tackle following a turnover. Where the Chiefs go from here is unknown.
They are back-to-back champions and won last year despite having an unproven – and at one point, underperforming – wide receiver corps and have 2024 first-round pick Xavier Worthy now. However, former Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel offered several options that he would like to see KC trade for, some more likely than others.
The one that probably blends best with talent and availability is Cleveland Browns wideout Amari Cooper.
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“The one that makes the most sense to me and I’m most excited about, which I think could happen, is Amari Cooper from the Browns,” Daniel told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini on the “Scoop City” podcast on October 1. “I don’t know what they’re dealing with. But I know that … his contract is very tradable for.”
Cooper, a five-time Pro Bowler, is in the final year of a five-year, $100 million contract.
He restructured his deal with the Browns in July, and he will count for more than $22 million on Cleveland’s books in 2025 if they do not extend him off his current pact.
That would seem like an incentive for the Browns to refrain from trading Cooper and even look to extend him rather than lose him for nothing when he hit free agency in 2025. But Cooper was a speculative trade candidate during the offseason.
“Amari Cooper was on the trade block. He was part of a package for Brandon Aiyuk. So we know that the Cleveland is open to to moving on from Amari Cooper. It’s not something that they’re hesitant about after a few drops, and, maybe, not the best effort on the field the last few weeks. I don’t think Amari Cooper is playing at a super high level in Cleveland.”
Daniel argued that playing with Mahomes would rejuvenate Cooper.
He joked the wideout could be “trying to get traded” amid poor play from Browns QB Deshaun Watson.
Cooper has posted 1,000-plus-yard seasons in back-to-back years and seven of his nine pro seasons. Through four weeks in 2024, he is on track to set career-low marks in receptions and receiving yards.
Daniel also expressed little faith in who the Chiefs have on hand.
“Look, Kadarius Toney, Mecole Hardman are not No. 1 receivers,” Daniel said. “In fact, they’re like [No.] 3, 4, 5 wide receivers, right? In terms of, ‘Hey, I don’t know if you trust them, per se.’ Now, Toney and Hardman made some plays down the stretch. [But] this year feels a little bit different to me. This year it, feels like Brett Beach, the GM of the Chiefs, needs to make a splash move
“Last year, Mahomes won in spite of his receivers. This year, there’s all this fanfare. And Rashee Rice, you heard it through camp, ‘He’s the bonafide No. 1.’ He showed it through the first four weeks of the year. Then you got Xavier Worthy. He’s great but sort of a one-trick pony right now.
“I just think they need someone to replace Rice.
Chase Daniel Name-Checks Davante Adams, Tee Higgins as Targets for Chiefs
Daniel’s other suggestions ranged from flier-level options like New York Giants receiver Darius Slayton and Robert Woods of the Houston Texans to the highly unlikely, like his first suggestion.
It was Las Vegas Raiders star Davante Adams. Daniel quickly came back to reality.
“This is a big swing, and I don’t know how the salary cap’s going to have it – but I think Davante Adams,” Daniel said. “I think Davante wants out, think Davante will get traded from the Raiders this year. I think he wants out. In division? Probably not.”
Adams is a popular trade candidate. His head coach – Antonio Pierce – stirred the pot, apparently liking a post on Instagram that suggested the Raiders could trade the six-time Pro Bowler.
Adams has denied knowledge of Pierce’s motivations.
The Las Vegas Review’s Vincent Bonsignore reported on October 1 that the Raiders are “growing open” to the idea of trading their star. Still, a trade within the AFC West seems virtually out of the question without an over-the-top offer.
Daniel also suggested Cincinnati Bengals star Tee Higgins, to which Russini quickly said no and, when pressed about withholding information, joked her co-host was picking up her “tells.”
Russini suggested and then undercut Tennessee Titans wideout DeAndre Hopkins as an option.
Both hosts said the Chiefs need more than a jump-ball specialist, which Hopkins is at this point in his career. Russini ultimately concluded that, whatever path the Chiefs choose, Mahomes and Co. will figure it out and make it work.
Main Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
