Rice may have to wait a while for a second chance

Ray Rice may be allowed to play for a new team, but finding a NFL home for the former Baltimore Ravens running back might not happen immediately.

Rice was reinstated after a neutral arbitrator overturned his indefinite suspension from the NFL. Rice is eligible to play immediately if a team signs him.

Among the factors teams likely will consider include the impact signing Rice would have from a public relations standpoint to determining if Rice can be an impact player any more, nearly a year removed from a disappointing 2013 season.

While Rice did play in a preseason game this season, the last time he played in the regular season was during 2013, when he looked nothing like the player who made three Pro Bowls and starred on the Ravens Super Bowl championship team in 2012.

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The film of Rice from last season showed a player who had lost some of his explosion, who struggled to break tackles and averaged just 3.1 yards per carry. Rice's 660 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games were his lowest totals since he became a starter in 2009.

That decreased production and questions about if he can return to form might be a bigger issue for teams than Rice's off-field transgression.

'I'm sure he'll garner some attention, but he didn't play well last season, and backs tend to go downhill quickly once they start,' an AFC personnel official told USA TODAY Sports on Friday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to publicly discuss Rice's status.

Teams will have to look at Rice and decide if 2013 was an aberration, caused by a nagging hip injury and bigger offensive issues the Ravens were dealing with, or a trend for a player who will turn 28 in January.

'I think the hip injury really hurt his balance, like finishing the runs that he used to,' an NFL scout told USA TODAY Sports. 'Then to be honest with you, their offensive line was all over the place last year. They had a lot of injuries.'

The Ravens, through senior vice president of public and community relations Kevin Byrne, had no comment. Rice has a grievance for back pay pending against the Ravens.

The timing of Rice's reinstatement could also be tricky - would a team in playoff contention dare sign him now, and risk a disruption in chemistry or the addition of an off-field distraction? Would it be worth it for a team not destined for the postseason to bring him in now?

If Rice were to join a team in coming days with hopes of playing in December, he would need to work his way back into football shape, return to practice for the first time in more than three months, and likely be asked to learn a new offense.

All those factors have people around the league wondering if any team will gamble on Rice. A more likely scenario, one NFC personnel official told USA TODAY Sports, would have Rice landing with a new team in the offseason.

'If you're a bad team now, he's not worth it. If you're a good team, he's not worth the distraction,' the NFC official said. 'As a player, he's almost (just another guy), but with baggage.''

Of course, as one NFL general manager told USA TODAY Sports recently when asked about Rice, there doesn't have to be consensus - and it would only take one team to decide Rice is worth the risk now.

'Not exactly sure,' the general manager said. 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and there are 32 different levels of sensibilities.'

Indeed, an NFL scout recently told USA TODAY Sports it would take a team with a supportive owner, a strong head coach and solid locker room leadership to make it work for Rice. Rice has several connections to head coaches around the league, including Indianapolis' Chuck Pagano, the former Ravens defensive coordinator; and Detroit's Jim Caldwell, who was the Ravens' offensive coordinator last season and during their Super Bowl run.

'He'll get another chance - but maybe not right away,' the scout said.

Still, Rice could find himself waiting, at least initially.

Contributing: Tom Pelissero and Gary Mihoces

'He had a long track record of being good, and doing good, before this incident. Maybe one of his former coaches can give him a look,' the AFC personnel official said. 'Someone who believes in second chances.'