Cleveland Browns admit to having Ray Rice discussion

“We’ve talked about it, but I don’t think we’re there at this point”, Pettine said.

The Browns are openly disappointed in their running backs, but not so disappointed that they’re ready to sign the NFL’s most controversial free agent running back.

“Of course it’s a natural question here because of Wilbert, and because I was with Ray when he was a Ravens rookie and know a lot of people in Baltimore”, Pettine told SI.com.

The reverend went on to say the Baltimore community needs to fight for him.

He also says he wants to end his football career “the right way”.

In an interview with ESPN’s Jemele Hill last week, Rice said he remains hopeful that he can return to playing in the NFL but acknowledged that public opinion after his domestic violence incident presents a “unique” obstacle to his comeback attempt.

Rice rushed for 6,180 yards during the regular season over six years with the Ravens, including four seasons in which he put up more than 1,100 yards.

Rice, 28, has been effectively blacklisted by NFL teams since a video of him assaulting his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, in an Atlantic City elevator surfaced last summer.

The Dallas Cowboys are racking up injuries just a couple of days before their first preseason game in San Diego.

Is this the year Ray Rice gets a second chance?

Pettine called the fact that his top three running backs didn’t report to camp in great condition “disappointing”, adding “it was Duke as well”. “I don’t want my assistants saying anything publicly that they wouldn’t tell the player to his face”, Pettine said.