The New England Patriots are signing wide receiver Brenden Rice, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
The second-year wideout is the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice.
The move comes as the Patriots’ Kayshon Boutte is battling a hamstring injury ahead of Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rice split his four-year college career evenly between Colorado and USC, transferring to the Trojans ahead of the 2022 season. As a senior, he was second on the team in receiving yards (791) and first in touchdown grabs (12).
The Arizona native was the No. 103 overall player and 20th-best receiver in Bleacher Report’s final big board ahead of the 2024 draft. B/R NFL scout Derrik Klassen praised his physicality and ability to create separation from a defender.
Rice, a seventh-round pick, is still looking to make his first NFL reception. He appeared in three games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024, and they waived him in August.
If Boutte is sidelined for Week 10, then New England is bound to lean more heavily on its existing options (Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas Mack Hollins and Kyle Williams). This could at least open a door for Rice to see the field in a supporting role.
