Minnesota Vikings Lose Sidney Rice to Seattle Seahawks: Fan Reaction

The signing frenzy is just about over for the Minnesota Vikings, who, in some ways, seem to have come out the loser once again. This is especially true when it comes to the lost free agents, who include Ray Edwards, Jimmy Kennedy, and my personal favorite, Sidney Rice. The talented wide receiver recently signed a $41 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks.

It really should come as no surprise that Sidney Rice signed with the Seattle Seahawks. They cut him an excellent deal. And I suppose I ought to be happy for him and his family, as Vikings coach Leslie Frazier claims to be. "I'm just happy for Sid and his family... We would have loved to have him back, no question about it. But he got an offer that was satisfactory for his family...I hope things work out great for him."

While I will miss seeing him decked out in purple, I don't think the loss of Sidney Rice will prove fatal for the Minnesota Vikings. In fact, it probably was an economically sound decision. At this point, they really can't afford to pay upward of $40 million dollars for a wide receiver, even if he happens to be very talented. Not to mention, the Vikings already have receivers who are more than capable of filling Rice's shoes. Percy Harvin comes to mind as an excellent candidate.

Rice's exodus comes, predictably, alongside that of Brett Favre. The two players formed an extraordinary partnership, especially during 2009, when both players experienced a great statistical season. Before Brett Favre donned the Vikings' colors, Sidney Rice was a rather mediocre player. As such, it may actually be a good thing that Sidney Rice and Brett Favre are exiting at the same time. There's really no guarantee that Rice would be a good fit for the Minnesota Vikings without Favre by his side.

That being said, I am still going to miss watching Sidney Rice at the Metrodome (which will also soon be out of the Vikings picture...but that's another story). Maybe this will be the impetus for me to actually pay a little attention to the Seattle Seahawks this year.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Stephanie Gustafson has remained faithful to the Minnesota Vikings through their many ups and downs.