Ray Rice is aiming for a second chance. According to ESPN.com, Rice has been calling teams personally about earning a contract for the 2015 season following domestic violence charges that kept him out of almost all of 2014. However, that interest has not been coming and might not regardless of how many injuries take place this season. With several teams dealing with major injuries at the running back spot, Rice has yet to get a call and the Buffalo Bills can be added to the list of teams not interested.
The Bills have four players down with injuries right now as the latest is starter LeSean McCoy. The running back went down with a hamstring strain that will require an MRI and further evaluation. That injury is paired with Fred Jackson, Boobie Dixon and Karlos Williams also sitting out with problems. That leaves the Bills with a pair of undrafted free agents to work with right now in training camp. Regardless of the lack of options, Rice is not getting a look.
According to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, the Bills will not be calling Rice for more depth at the position. Head coach Rex Ryan told PFT Live that the team was not looking at Rice right now and they felt comfortable that players will return healthy quickly. He might be right about that. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport is reporting that McCoy is expected to be healthy come Week 1 of the regular season. An MRI determined the issue was just a strain and McCoy would be fine.
With Bills knocked off the list of teams look at Rice, there might not be another option for the running back. The Houston Texans lost Arian Foster for the season which made them an option for the former Baltimore Ravens star. However, the Houston Chronicle is reporting that the Texans believe they have a star in the making with Alfred Blue and would not be adding a free agent at this time.
The Cleveland Browns are not happy with Terrance West or Isaiah Crowell at the moment. Head coach Mike Pettine told ESPN that while the team has discussed Rice as an option, talks of a contract are premature. He then went on to say that Pierre Thomas was also available as a versatile back. That could be a sign that teams favor Thomas as the better option both on the field and in the media over Rice.
The Dallas Cowboys have been considered to be an option ever since they missed out on Adrian Peterson. However, owner Jerry Jones continues to put his confidence in the team's current roster. Darren McFadden has returned from injury and is expected to join Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar and Gus Johnson who are also coming back from health issues. According to Jones, any running back could be successful behind the offensive line in Dallas and he is about to find out if that is really true.
