An In-depth Sidney Rice and Wide Receiver Thread

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

So a couple of individuals intrigued me when they brought up Sidney Rice’s name and the fact that he will indeed test free agency. I began to look more at Rice and how well he would help the Panthers offense. I also tried to infer that the signing of Sidney Rice would almost guarantee the resigning of Smith because this particular signing would indicate to everyone that the Panthers are a new team and a new organization that is willing to spend money to make the team better. Here is what I came up with, with a little digging.

First, I wanted to see the status on Smith and his desire to play or not play for the Panthers anymore and I found this particular blog on NFL.com that I thought shared good insight.

Source: http://blogs.nfl.com/2011/06/10/wyche-dont-count-out-smith-staying-in-carolina/

“I have a feeling that he will remain there,” Wyche said during a live chat Friday. “The Panthers aren’t going to trade him just to trade him, and I don’t think most teams would give Carolina a high enough draft pick to warrant them dealing him. I don’t think Smith is as disenfranchised as we all believe and it sounds like he wouldn’t mind playing with (Cam) Newton.”

Second, I wanted to make sure that Sidney Rice did indeed say that he wanted to test free agency and this is what I came up with.

Source: Adam Schefter Twitter

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Sidney Rice will not re-sign with the Vikings before testing free agency.

“The Vikings made an initial offer to Rice, but agent Drew Rosenhaus seems set on seeing what the market will bear for the 24-year-old playmaker. Knee and hip injuries have wrecked two of Rice's past three seasons, but talent alone will push him to the top of a free agent field that features Santonio Holmes, Santana Moss, Braylon Edwards, Malcom Floyd and Randy Moss.”

Third, I wanted to see how reasonable it would be as in if it makes since for the Panthers to sign him and if he would improve the Panthers receiving corp.

Here is what I came with

Source: Panthers.com, ESPN.com etc...

If Smith returns the Panthers receiving corp. should consist of the following: Steve Smith, David Gettis, Brandon LaFell, Armanti Edwards and Kealoha Pilares. The Panthers could afford to add another true receiver since at least two of these five individuals in Edwards and Pilares could and probably will contribute on special teams. The Panthers do have David Clowney, Trent Guy, Wallace Wright, and Charly Martin on the current squad but not one of those guys is the true wide out the Panthers need.

When looking at Sidney Rice's previous stats from the 2010 year and some of his game footage, I was convinced that this is the guy the Panthers need to go after to line up on the opposite side of Steve Smith. I know a lot of people here like Santonio Holmes but Holmes is a carbon copy of Smith. Holmes is six foot tall on his tippy toes and 195 pounds soaking wet compared to Sidney Rice's 6-4, 205 pound physique. On top of that Rice is still three years younger than Holmes which makes him all the more reasonable and realistic. I think Rice would be a great addition to the team and I think it makes sense on top of instantly making the Panthers receiving corp. one of the best in the league.

Fourth, I wanted to see if Sidney Rice had any preference to where he goes or if he was interested in the Panthers or if he even liked the Panthers. Here is what I came up with.

Rice was asked in a radio interview what his thoughts were on the Panthers pick of Cam Newton. His response was…

"I think they made the right choice. Cam is a proven winner, and hopefully, he can carry his college success to the NFL. Carolina is definitely headed in the right direction now. They still have a few older faces, like Steve (Smith) but he is a free agent...but then again, so am I. Who knows, maybe if they would just settle this lockout, we could start signing with some teams. If they were to release Smith, it may open a nice gap at wide receiver. And who knows, it would be nice to return close to home and play with a QB like Cam."

Source: NFLtalk Radio

Fifth and finally, I wanted to see the odds that others had that Sidney Rice could wind up in Carolina and one particular site said it was a ten to one odd but personally I think it is somewhere around the five to one odd and on almost every list of "Sidney Rice Pursuiters" or "Good Homes for Sidney Rice", the Panthers are somewhere on that list.

Source:SportsRumorMill.com

Note: Sidney Rice played with Eric Norwood and Captain Munnerlyn at South Carolina. Rice missed playing with Travelle Wharton by one year. Wharton graduated in 2003 and Rice joined South Carolina in 2004.

Overall I think there is a decent chance Rice could end up in a Panthers uniform next year and I for one would be ecstatic.

What do you guy’s think???

[Fiz]

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Not really making a point...

[Fiz]

well if you want to acquire a one year wonder you could probably grab brandon lloyd for cheaper.

[jtnc]

Meh, Edwards or Holmes seems like a better choice.

[davos]

well if you want to acquire a one year wonder you could probably grab brandon lloyd for cheaper.

? So quick to shun rather than discuss

6'4", fast, and has shown some awesome talent when healthy -- name another free agent WR like that

Injury stuff may stray people away, but plenty of guys have started careers bitten by stuff then got healthy and were better than before **cough Smitty

[d-run]

I don't think WR is going to be as high a priority that some of you guys do. Steve isn't a free agent, he has two years left on his contract, and no one is going to want to take on that contract as it is. Plus, there will be a limited time to find a trading partner. Even if Steve is traded, I think OL, DT and CB are more important in FA than WR.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

He has been injured a lot during his career.

His first year he wasn't a starter and he hurt his knee causing him to miss the final two games of the season

In his second year he injured the knee again keeping him and out of the lineup until week 9.

In 2009 he was healthy and look what happened.

In 2010 he got hurt again.

I don't see people calling Miles Austin a one year wonder so why call Rice one? It's simple...when he is healthy he is a threat, pretty much like any other good athlete.

[davos]

I don't think WR is going to be as high a priority that some of you guys do. Steve isn't a free agent, he has two years left on his contract, and no one is going to want to take on that contract as it is. Plus, there will be a limited time to find a trading partner. Even if Steve is traded, I think OL, DT and CB are more important in FA than WR.

Rivera and McDermott are gonna make our already good defense better...we need offensive weapons, that's priority #1 next to DT. Points on the board! :hat:

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Meh, Edwards or Holmes seems like a better choice.

You can't have two Steve Smith's as your one and two guys. Holmes is just like Smith which is not what the Panthers need. They need a guy like Moose and to be honest, I think that guy is Sidney Rice.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

I don't think WR is going to be as high a priority that some of you guys do. Steve isn't a free agent, he has two years left on his contract, and no one is going to want to take on that contract as it is. Plus, there will be a limited time to find a trading partner. Even if Steve is traded, I think OL, DT and CB are more important in FA than WR.

We need one, we have to unprovens in Edwards and Pilares which leaves us with a small gap. Say Gettis went down and Edwards is not producing. That leaves us with Smith, LaFell, and Pilares and for some odd reason, I don't think that will get the job done.

[Fiz]

? So quick to shun rather than discuss

It's not shun (you're trying to say dismiss) so much as it's putting it into perspective.

6'4", fast, and has shown some awesome talent when healthy -- name another free agent WR like that

Jackson, Holmes, Edwards, Owens

Injury stuff may stray people away, but plenty of guys have started careers bitten by stuff then got healthy and were better than before **cough Smitty

Unless you're suggesting steve smith had chronic leg-breaking-itis, 89 is a far way away from Rice's mystery chronic hip condition.

[TruCatzFan]

CarolinaPanthers8789...

That was an excellent post and you put in a lot of work and research into it. I for one respect and appreciate it very much! I just wanted you to know that. Funny how people will take what you did and try to spin it to mean what they want it to mean.

I'm all for making the team better... Never been high in Rice to be real.

I think we really fugged up badly when we didn't go after Anquan Boldin... That would have been a sweet pick up.

We'll see what happens though in FA if and when it arrives. It's gonna be the most Frantic FA ever!

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

There is no denying this kids big play ability, if Cam's cannon can just lay that deep ball in perfectly, all of our receivers are going to be able to stretch the field and be treats over the top.

However, I'm just not sure, in part because of the Smith situation, that our front office will sign an expensive WR. I think after this year we will have a much better picture at what we have at the position. If we do decide to sign a WR, I will without a doubt support the move and be behind the man 100%.

I guess I would just rather see us spending on a new defensive back and defensive lineman. Our division foes have so many weapons in the passing game, if we can sign some of the best FAs on the defensive side of the ball to fill a couple holes I think we will be in a much better position to win ball games than we would signing a relatively unproven, though talented without a doubt, receiver.