Minnesota Vikings Must Do All They Can to Keep Sidney Rice

Reports are coming out that the Minnesota Vikings have made a contract offer to wide receiver Sidney Rice, but the terms of the proposal are not yet known.

Whatever they offered him, they had better make sure it’s a deal he cannot turn down. Given the quarterback unrest they’re sure to face — especially if a lockout occurs and prevents any organized team activities — they must make sure they keep all the offensive weapons they possibly can.

Offensive line will have to be addressed in the draft as they seem fairly weak as a unit. They seem to have a lot of talented individuals along the line, but their tackles underachieved last season and the interior was fairly weak to begin with.

Since they’ll be forced to draft a few offensive linemen, that takes away some chances to grab playmakers and makes it all the more important they start with the ones they already have — namely Rice.

Rice was hurt for a lot of 2010 after having a breakout season in 2009, but the injury is not expected to affect him in the future so investing a lot of money in him isn’t all that risky. He’s shown a play-making ability the Vikings have not had since Randy Moss, and the team cannot afford to go back to Bernard Berrian as the No. 1 receiving threat.

Adrian Peterson is the best running back in the league, but even he won’t be able to carry the team by himself. The new quarterback will need weapons on the outside and Rice will give him just that. Rice also opens things up for the other receivers, as well as tight end Visante Shiancoe who suffered greatly with Rice out of the lineup.

The Vikings cannot play chicken with Rice or take a hard-line stance. He is simply too important to the success of their offense, and they must do anything they can to keep him long-term.