Sidney Rice has been quietly sitting on the free agent market since getting released by the Seattle Seahawks. The wide receiver was a salary cap casualty and has found little to no interest surrounding him while other players get swept up before the draft. As Rice continues to wait for a phone call from interested teams, could the Seahawks be the ones to give him a deal?
Rice only played eight games last season after recovering from an ACL injury. The wide receiver had 231 yards off 15 catches along with three touchdowns. He played well for his limited time on the field, but interest still is not there. Rice was one of 10 players from the Super Bowl winning team that were not retained this offseason, but a few might find their way back and Rice could easily be one of them at the right price.
ESPN.com reports the Seahawks are still interested in the wide receiver at a much smaller deal. The Seahawks said goodbye to Golden Tate after he signed a five-year, $31 million deal with the Detroit Lions. They will have back a healthy Percy Harvin, but certainly need more than that in the coming year. While this draft is very deep at the wide receiver position, bringing back Rice at a small contract could not hurt.
NFL mock drafts have the Seahawks targeting offensive line players in their first two rounds, but could move on a wide receiver if a big name is available. However, re-signing Rice will remain an option.
If the Seahawks do not make a move on Rice, there are still a few options for the wide receiver moving forward. The Philadelphia Eagles are still considered a favorite to sign a free agent before picking up someone in the draft. They just lost DeSean Jackson while also losing Jason Avant in free agency. Even if the Eagles draft a player like Mike Evans or Marqise Lee in the first round, Rice would still be needed.
Another option is the San Francisco 49ers. Head coach Jim Harbough has been very vocal in his desire for more offensive weapons despite having both Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree on the pay roll. While the draft is an option, re-signing an inexpensive Rice could prove more productive.