The idea of the Philadelphia Eagles trading A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots after June 1 has been treated like an inevitability for a while now. However, a player of his caliber is bound to attract interest from more than just one team. With Rashee Rice reportedly sentenced to 30 days in jail for violating probation, questions have surfaced around the Kansas City Chiefs’ receiving corps. It’s only strengthened the rumors linking Brown to Kansas City. But will the Chiefs genuinely make a play for him?

“And of course, the smaller picture questions of what do the Chiefs do at receiver now?” Albert Breer said on The Breer Report on May 20, 2026, “Do they go back? Do they circle back and maybe look at the idea of trading for A.J. Brown? I don’t think that happens. They had that opportunity; they were on A.J. Brown’s list; they said no to the Eagles in the first place. But I think if you’re the Chiefs, you have to look at all of these things going forward because Rashee Rice clearly looks like somebody that you have not been able to rely on.”

As Albert Breer pointed out, if the Chiefs were truly interested in acquiring A.J. Brown, they likely would have the assets to make it happen. The team owns an extra first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, reportedly tied to the Trent McDuffie trade, which could be used as part of a strong offer to the Eagles star receiver. Even so, the Chiefs have shown little indication so far that they’re willing to make an aggressive push for Brown.

There’s also the financial side to consider. Kansas City still needs approximately $7 million in salary cap space to finalize its rookie class. Adding a player like Brown would require even more flexibility, especially after the receiver signed a three-year, $96 million extension in 2024 that keeps him under contract through the 2029 season. Philadelphia also has no financial pressure to move him right now, which means any trade discussion would likely require a massive package.

Internally, the Chiefs still appear focused on seeing what their current group can offer. The team currently has 13 receivers on the 90-man offseason roster, and with OTAs and mandatory minicamp approaching, there is a belief that those players will get the opportunity to earn roles before Kansas City seriously explores outside help. Andy Reid and Brett Veach can still lean on players like Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton while evaluating the room.

At the center of it all is Rashee Rice. According to Breer, the Chiefs were counting on Rice to step back into the No. 1 receiver role this season after avoiding major investments at the position during the offseason.

But with Rice now dealing with legal trouble alongside his knee recovery, Kansas City suddenly finds itself navigating far more uncertainty than normal heading into the season.

Court orders Rashee Rice to serve 30 days in jail

Rice has been sentenced to serve 30 days in jail after violating the terms of his probation by testing positive for marijuana. The probation stemmed from his role in a Dallas highway crash two years ago that left multiple people injured.

In March 2024, Rashee Rice was driving a Lamborghini SUV at 119 mph on a Dallas highway when a multicar crash left several people injured. Rice, along with former SMU teammate Theodore Knox and others, left the scene before police arrived. The collision was recorded on video footage.

Less than two weeks after the accident, Rice admitted fault, made an apology to the public, and surrendered himself to the police following an arrest warrant being issued. The Texas State Attorney’s office stated Tuesday that Rice was to report to jail right away as part of the initial 30-day sentence tied to the third-degree felony charge of racing and causing bodily injury.

Rice previously got a deferred adjudication on pleading guilty to the charges, meaning his case would have been dropped if he had completed his probation. According to jail records, Rice was booked into the Dallas County jail at 1:25 p.m. ET and is expected to be released on June 16. The timing creates another complication for the Chiefs since voluntary workouts begin next week and mandatory minicamp wraps up on June 11.

Adding to the concern, Rice recently underwent a cleanup procedure on his right knee to remove loose debris that had been causing inflammation, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. According to sources, he is expected to miss around two months but should still be ready for training camp later this summer.

With Rice now dealing with both the jail sentence and his ongoing knee recovery, there is still uncertainty surrounding when he will fully return and how quickly he can get back into form for the Chiefs.