A little note to the 49ers brass: Go get Rice! Simeon Rice, the recently released Tampa Bay Buccanneer Defensive End would be a great veteran addition to a young defense that will need all the pressure it can get on QBs to take the heat off of the previously much-malined secondary.
Rice, at age 33 still has some gas in the tank, but was cut by the Bucs for failing a physical. More accurately, Tampa Bay was trying to create cap space to sign 2007 4th overall pick Gaines Adams, who is the future for the Buccanneers vaunted defense which is now starting to show some wear on the tires.
The 49ers, however, are an extremely young group, especially up front on defense, with the exception of Bryant Young entering his 14th NFL season. Young has been shifted to end from defensive tackle in the 3-4 defense with Marques Douglas playing the other end. Neither is a prototypical rush end like Rice, who could provide valuable leadership to young players like Ray MacDonald , the 3rd round pick from Florida. The 49ers also possess enough salary cap room to offer a competitive salary to Rice, which can't be said of a lot of clubs.
Rice was drafted by the Cardinals with the 3rd overall pick of the 1996 Draft. He garnered attention with a 12.5 sack rookie campaign, and helped lead the perennial bottom-dwelling Cardinals to an improbable playoff berth during the 1998 season. He signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent before the 2001 season and helped lead them to a Super Bowl victory in 2002, and was just edged out of the MVP voting by his teammate Dexter Jackson. His 121 career sacks rank 2nd among active players, behind Michael Strahan, and 13th all-time. Rice also is the second fastest player to achieve 100 career sacks behind Eagles/Packers legend Reggie White.
He ended up on injured reserve for the 2006 season and would have something to prove this year. Rice has apparently visited the Rams, and as if the Niners needed another reason to go get him, keeping him away from a divisional rival is a great reason.
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