2012 NFL Free Agents: Ray Rice Should Hold Out if Ravens Use Franchise Tag

Ray Rice is more important to the Baltimore Ravens than any other running back is to his respective team. So Rice should view it as a slap in the face if the team doesn't get serious with long-term extension talks and instead decides to fall back on the franchise tag.

Should that happen, Rice should hold out until the Ravens are willing to give him the job security he deserves after leaving everything on the field in his four seasons with Baltimore. He has earned a lot more than a one-year stopgap deal, that's for sure.

Jeff Zrebiec and Matt Vensel of the Baltimore Sun report the only sure thing is that Baltimore's front office won't let Rice get away this offseason:

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If an agreement isn't reached by the March 5 deadline for teams to apply the franchise tag—and it would be somewhat surprising if there was a deal in place by then given the expected amount of money involved—the Ravens have indicated that they will use the tag to keep Rice under contract for 2012.

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Anybody who has watched Rice play even one game understands he is one of the most dynamic backs in the entire NFL. He literally does it all. He can run between the tackles or get to the edge, is a huge weapon in the passing game and sacrifices his body to block when necessary.

He has averaged more than 350 touches over the last three seasons, and has topped 2,000 total yards twice during that period.

While those workhorse abilities are vital for any franchise back, it also leads to a short shelf life. Most players can play until their mid-30s. Running backs tend to hit a wall well before then, which means they need to cash in when they have a chance.

That's why playing under a one-year contract is a major risk for Rice. If showed any signs of slowing down, he would literally lose millions for being faithful to a team that wouldn't even give him a major deal.

Don't forget, he's been playing for peanuts, comparatively speaking, while waiting for an opportunity to cash in. He hasn't complained or whined about it like other players, he's just continued to produce at an elite level.

If that's not enough to get an extended commitment from the franchise, Rice will have to start wondering if his loyalty was worth it. He certainly can't play another season without future assurances, because one awkward tackle puts his future in jeopardy.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated reports Rice is looking for a deal similar to the one Adrian Peterson received from the Vikings. He likely won't get the same contract because of the decreasing value of running backs, but it's a perfectly reasonable starting point for negotiations.

Hopefully the Ravens' brass act in good faith having watched Rice carry their offense for the last three years and prove they are as dedicated to him as he is to the franchise.

If not, a holdout is a perfectly legitimate option Rice should consider, and he shouldn't be vilified for it if he does. After all, he's needs to look out for himself before it's too late.