sidney rice

The Seattle Seahawks landed one of the top players in free agency this year, with a league source confirming on Wednesday that the team had agreed to terms with former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice. Terms were not disclosed, but according to an ESPN report, Rice agreed to a five-year, $41 million deal, of which $18.5 million is guaranteed. Incentives could increase the total value to $44 million, the report said. The deal is not official until Rice passes a physical and signs his contract on Friday. But one day after losing the face of the Seahawks for the past decade in quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle added a young player in Rice who should help young quarterbacks Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst


who will compete for the starting quarterback job. Rice, 24, was considered one of Seattle’s main targets when free agency started Tuesday. And Seattle had familiarity working in its favor, with former Minnesota offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell now serving as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator and former Minnesota quarterback Jackson agreeing Tuesday to sign with Seattle as a free agent. With future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre commanding Minnesota’s offense in 2009, Rice finished with a career-high 83 receptions for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns, earning the only Pro Bowl berth of his four-year career. A hip injury limited Rice to six games last season, and he finished with 17 receptions for 280 yards and two touchdowns. There are lingering concerns about whether



the injury is fully healed. It was the second lucrative deal that the Seahawks have given to a free-agent receiver since 2009, and it may fill a key need for a franchise that has craved a true No. 1 receiver. Seahawks general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll flirted with Brandon Marshall in free agency last year but lost out to the Miami Dolphins. They also had conversations with San Diego about trading for Vincent Jackson. Just two years ago, the Seahawks – then led by general manager Tim Ruskell and coach Jim Mora – signed then-32-year-old T.J. Houshmandzadeh to a five-year, $40 million contract, with $15 million guaranteed. A year later, with Ruskell and Mora fired, Carroll released Houshmandzadeh, who still was owed more than $6 million in guaranteed money.

sidney rice