The Las Vegas Raiders are giving Brenden Rice another shot at sticking in the league, signing the 23-year-old wide receiver to their practice squad on Wednesday.
For those keeping track, yes - that Rice. Brenden is the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, the NFL’s all-time leader in just about every meaningful receiving category. But Brenden’s path has been anything but a straight line, and his journey to find a home in the NFL continues in Vegas.
Originally a seventh-round pick by the Chargers in 2024, Rice inked a four-year, $4.1 million rookie deal with Los Angeles. But like many Day 3 picks, his spot wasn’t guaranteed.
After a preseason that didn’t move the needle enough for the Bolts, Rice was waived before the regular season kicked off. Since then, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind - a brief stint on the Patriots’ practice squad in November, followed by a short stay with the Seahawks’ practice unit that ended earlier this week.
Now, the Raiders are taking a flyer on the young wideout, hoping to tap into the potential he showed during his college days. And make no mistake - there’s something there.
At Colorado and later USC, Rice put together a solid collegiate resume. Over four seasons and 43 games, he tallied 111 catches, 1,821 receiving yards, and 21 touchdowns.
He showed flashes of being a vertical threat, with the size (6-foot-2) and athleticism to win downfield, especially in one-on-one situations. While he didn’t record any stats in his three active games with the Chargers last season, he’s still a developmental prospect who brings intriguing upside.
For the Raiders, this is a low-risk move with potential upside. Practice squad additions don’t always make headlines, but they can matter - especially late in the season when injuries pile up and teams start looking for fresh legs and untapped talent. Vegas is clearly still evaluating depth behind their top receivers, and Rice gets a chance to prove he belongs.
He’s not his father - and no one expects him to be. But Brenden Rice is still chasing his NFL dream, and the Raiders are giving him another opportunity to keep that dream alive.