FrankRizzo
Cheesehead
This could be good for us in a couple ways.
Number one, the Vikings losing Sidney Rice, who's great.
Number two, he's better than James Jones so it's another guy who goes higher or before Jones does. Might help us keep Jones (which is a good thing despite his bad drops).
Number one, the Vikings losing Sidney Rice, who's great.
Number two, he's better than James Jones so it's another guy who goes higher or before Jones does. Might help us keep Jones (which is a good thing despite his bad drops).
News item: Sidney Rice to roam free.
Bad news for the Vikings, if and when free agency happens -- and assuming unsigned players will be unrestricted free-agents after four or five years. Rice has four seasons of accredited service with the Vikings, and it's very likely that when a new CBA happens, unrestricted free agency will revert to the original rules -- if you're not franchise- or transition-tagged when unsigned after four or five years, you're free. When Adam Schefter reported Sunday Rice would definitely test the open market before he signs with anyone, it meant the Vikings would very likely be playing without Rice this year. If there is a this year, of course.
Minnesota chose to franchise linebacker Chad Greenway and do nothing with Rice, meaning Rice, who turns 25 Sept. 1, will enter a crowded wide-receiver free-agent market led by Santonio Holmes (Jets), Steve Smith (Giants), James Jones (Packers) and Braylon Edwards (Jets). Rice would be the lead guy in the field because of his age, assuming there's no negative carry-over from the 2010 hip surgery that ruined his season.
I don't like what this portends for the Vikings. A rebuilding offense needs receivers who can help a developing quarterback, and losing a 6-4 emerging star (again, provided he's healthy) would be a big blow. There will be plenty of young, interested teams with cap room -- Tampa Bay and Kansas City at the head of the pack -- if there's a cap, as most people assume there will be in a new labor landscape. He'd be a perfect young catch for the Patriots too. It doesn't make sense for Rice to go back to an uncertain future if he can go somewhere with a solid quarterback on a team that's not rebuilding.