The Green Bay Packers are taking a flier on a familiar name. Brenden Rice, the son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, was claimed off waivers on Wednesday, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd NFL Team. The move brings the young pass-catcher to his fifth organization since entering the league in 2024.
Rice's NFL journey has been a rocky one. The Los Angeles Chargers selected him in the seventh round of the 2024 draft, but he was cut during final roster cuts in 2025. From there, he bounced through practice squads with the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, and Las Vegas Raiders. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Raiders this past January, but that didn't lead to a spot on the active roster.
So far, Rice has appeared in just three NFL games, all with the Chargers in 2024. He logged a total of three offensive snaps and ten on special teams, recording zero targets and zero tackles. Needless to say, he's still waiting to make his first real impact on the field.
Now, he'll try to carve out a role in a Green Bay receiving corps that already features Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed. That depth has some fans skeptical about where Rice fits in.
“How does Rice fit into a receiver group that already features Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed?” one user on X asked. Another fan wrote, “I’m sure the older fanbase will take this well lol.” But not everyone is down on the move. “Low-risk, high-reward dart throw. Packers sniffing value,” a third user noted.
Rice's college career showed flashes of the talent that made him a prospect worth watching. He started at Colorado, where he returned kicks and played receiver, averaging nearly 30 yards per return and scoring a touchdown. He also had 27 receptions for 419 yards and five touchdowns across two seasons with the Buffaloes.
After transferring to USC, Rice became a more consistent pass-catcher. In 26 games for the Trojans, he hauled in 84 receptions for 1,402 yards and 16 touchdowns. Those numbers, combined with decent showings at the NFL Combine and his Pro Day, convinced the Chargers to take a chance on him late in the draft.
Now, the Packers hope they can unlock that potential. It's a low-risk move for a team that has already made headlines with other roster moves, like the upcoming NFL's historic Paris debut. For Rice, it's another shot at living up to a legendary last name.
Whether he can turn that opportunity into actual playing time remains to be seen. But for a player who has been cut four times and still hasn't made an NFL catch, simply getting a claim is a win.
