Rice Released

The brief tenure of defensive end Simeon Rice with the Denver Broncos ended on Friday afternoon when the 12-year veteran requested and was granted his release by the club after an unproductive stint. "Under the current situation we felt like we were better with the younger players that we do have,'' coach Mike Shanahan said. "They give us the best chance to win and that's the direction we are going.'' The release was first reported by ESPN's Chris Mortensen and subsequently announced by Denver officials. The move makes Rice an unrestricted free agent, but also leaves him with an uncertain future. Concerns about his surgically repaired shoulder and his age, along with his performance with the Broncos, might dissuade teams from considering him. Rice may be gambling that a playoff contender in need of pass-rush help will take a chance. In his six appearances with the Broncos, Rice, one of the league's premier pass rushers of his era, registered only seven tackles and had no sacks. He was inactive for two games.

Source: ESPN's Len Pasquerelli and Chris Mortensen