“I’m not going to say it didn’t come up in discussion, but at this point we’re not there yet”.
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Pettine was asked by SI.com whether the Browns had considered adding a veteran to the mix at running back and then specifically asked about Rice in a follow-up question.
But nearly a year since the infamous video of Rice striking his wife was released, the former Baltimore Ravens running back remains out of football.
“Obviously Wilbert was his position coach for Ray’s first six years in the league (2008-13)”.
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.
Frustrated with the young running-back trio of Isaiah Crowell, Terrance West and Duke Johnson, running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery recently lamented that “nobody wants the role”. “He wants to go on with his life”.
Rice, 28, totaled 9,154 combined yards rushing and receiving with 43 touchdowns for the Ravens from 2008-2013, earning three Pro Bowl berths and helping Baltimore to the Super Bowl championship after the 2012 season.
The Dallas Cowboys are racking up injuries just a couple of days before their first preseason game in San Diego. Rice’s indefinite suspension was later overturned, meaning he is free to sign with any NFL team that will have him.
“I don’t think it’s gotten to that point, to say, ‘Hey, I’d kind of be comfortable with it, ‘” Pettine said. “Why bother with asking the question if the need never presents itself?”
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“The conversations that I had with them is more to understand the magnitude of my situation”, he said.
