Recently, ESPN's John Clayton listed five teams that made sense for former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. Third on that list are the Oakland Raiders.
"Raiders ownership might not want to deal with the public relations implications of signing Rice - the same can be said for the other four teams on this list - but this is something of a need position for Oakland," Clayton wrote. "Latavius Murray showed promise last season but isn't yet a sure thing as an NFL lead back, and former No. 3 overall pick Trent Richardson has struggled to a 3.3 yards-per-carry average in his young career."
Second-year quarterback Derek Carr showed flashes of promise last season and the Raiders are hopeful that he can develop into a franchise quarterback. But growing pains are to be expected and a quality rushing attack would go a long way in alleviating some of the pressure on him. As currently constructed, the Raiders don't seem to have that foundation to fall back on.
And Rice isn't a likely option for trying to build one.
"Nothing surprises me anymore. But, it would stun me if Rice winds up wearing the Silver and Black. Ever," ESPN Raiders reporter Bill Williamson wrote.
"Oakland owner Mark Davis is staunch in his stance against domestic violence. That was a primary reason why the Raiders never seriously pursued Greg Hardy in free agency even though the pass-rusher was a perfect on-field fit. Ray Rice's domestic violence issues transcend sports, and he became a national household name for all the wrong reasons.
"Why would Davis relent on Rice?"
Aside from the questions about his off-field behavior, Rice hasn't shown much on the field in a while. In 2013, his last season in the NFL, Rice carried the ball 214 times for 660 yards, just a 3.1 YPC. He also caught the fewest balls since his rookie season. The Raiders may have questions at running back, but Rice wouldn't answer them.
Expect Murray to get an opportunity to seize the starting job from Day 1 with Rice ending up nowhere near Oakland. In fact, Rice may be blackballed from the NFL entirely.
