Browns head coach Mike Pettine has been growing increasingly frustrated with his stable of running backs.

He believes Isaiah Crowell does not play with the passion of a starter and everyone else has gotten injured so it has been more of a question of when is Pettine going to bring in a veteran running back. The connection Rice has with the Browns is Cleveland's running back coach Wilbert Montgomery. Montgomery has spent a lot of time with Rice so it is natural to assume that this conversation has happened before. Pettine stated

"Of course it's a natural question here because of Wilbert, and because I was with Ray when he was a Ravens rookie and know a lot of people in Baltimore," Pettine told SI.com. "Obviously Wilbert was his position coach for Ray's first six years in the league. I'm not going to say it didn't come up in discussion, but at this point we're not there yet."

The Browns selected Duke Johnson in the third round primarily to be their lead back. Johnson has had a hard time staying on the field so it is natural the Browns feel a lot of frustration. Signing Ray Rice will come with a ton of PR baggage as well as cause a significant media circus around whatever club signs him. After last year's fiasco with Johnny Manziel I would not be surprised if Pettine simply wants to avoid all distractions.