Cleveland Browns have ‘discussed’ signing Ray Rice

The Cleveland Browns might be the team that gives Ray Rice his second chance in the NFL.

When Ray Rice was banished from the NFL, it looked like he was never going to play a down again in his career. No one really had a problem with that at the time, but minds have changed and it appears that Rice may soon be getting back into football this season.

No one has formally reached out to him — that we know of — but the idea of bringing him aboard a roster is slowly starting to discussed. That’s what is apparently going on in Cleveland as the Browns have kicked the tires on the idea of signing Ray Rice this season to fill out their backfield.

According to Don Banks of Sports Illustrated, the Mike Pettine and the Browns have discussed the idea of signing Ray Rice.

"“Of course it’s a natural question here because of [Browns running backs coach] Wilbert [Montgomery], and because I was with Ray when he was a Ravens rookie (in 2008) and know a lot of people in Baltimore,” Pettine said. “Obviously Wilbert was his position coach for Ray’s first six years in the league (2008–13). I’m not going to say it didn’t come up in discussion, but at this point we’re not there yet.”"

Whoever brings back Ray Rice is going to be in a sticky situation, and it’s likely not to be a prestigious franchise with a lot to lose in the reputation game. The Browns are not that franchise, but they’re a team that really has nothing to lose by signing Rice this season.

There’s the PR hit that a team will take if they sign Rice, but it’s being compared to when the Eagles signed Michael Vick and we all saw how quickly that turned around. There are still people uncomfortable with Vick sticking around the NFL and becoming the reborn star we became — and there will be more who remain upset about Rice.

But he’s more than likely going to come back though, and the Browns are the first of what might be a handful of teams that show an interest in him before he picks a team.

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