Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome told reporters on Monday during their press conference to announce the new Terrell Suggs extension that RB Ray Rice is “still a big part of what we plan to do in 2014.”
“I don’t know the situation. I’ve only gotten what has been written,” Newsome said, via ESPN.com. “I’ve not had a chance to talk to Ray… Up until I get all the answers, then that’s when we make decisions within this organization.”
Rice was arrested on domestic-violence charges this past weekend in an Atlantic City casino after he and his fiancee, “struck each other with their hands,” according to the Baltimore Sun.
“I don’t know the situation. I’ve only gotten what has been written,” Newsome said of Rice’s situation. “I’ve not had a chance to talk to Ray. I really don’t the situation. Up until I get all the answers, then that’s when we make decisions within this organization.”
Rice, 26, is coming off of a very disappointing season in which his yard-per-carry average plummeted from 4.4 to a pedestrian 3.1. On top of that, Rice received a huge five-year, $35 million contract that included $24 million guaranteed back in 2012. He has dealt with injuries in recent years and his age will end up being a concern in the coming years if he doesn’t have a bounce-back season in 2014.
However, releasing Rice really isn’t an option seeing as they would incur a cap hit of over $5 million by doing so this season. Baltimore wouldn’t see a positive impact on their cap until 2016, which means they really need to hope for the best next season.
Improving their offensive line would probably go a long way towards helping Rice rebound.
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