The Seattle career of receiver Sidney Rice could be ending not with a bang or a whimper but the snapping of an ACL.
With Rice suffering in late October a multi-month knee injury that necessarily will limit him through the offseason and into 2014, the Seahawks could decide to move on, unless Rice will agree to a major reduction in his big-money deal.
Rice is due to earn a base salary of $8.5 million in 2014, an amount that his past performance and current health won’t justify. With a post-June 1 designation, the Seahawks could shed the contract with a $1.2 million cap charge in 2014 and 2015, according to a source with knowledge of the deal.
Given that cornerback Richard Sherman surely will want a new contract after the coming season and that quarterback Russell Wilson’s mega-deal is looming after 2014, it makes sense to move on from Rice -- especially with the investment made during the offseason in receiver Percy Harvin.
Rice had 15 catches for 231 yards and three touchdowns in eight games this season. Last year, he had 50 catches for 748 yards and seven scores in 16 starts.
It seems that Rice will be sticking around only if he agrees to significantly reduce his pay for next year, and beyond. Given that no one else will be paying him $8.5 million for 2013, it could make sense to take the best offer Seattle eventually makes.