As Simeon Rice was getting ready to dine Sunday night with a contingent led by coach Mike Shanahan, the Broncos already were in the lead and starting to pull away.
“The Broncos are better than 50-50,” Rice said. “They’re like 55-45, maybe 60-40. Things are leaning their way. They’re classy, man. All class. I want to knock on wood, but I feel like this is the place. I feel like this is a team that will challenge for the Super Bowl and create a Camelot type of experience.”
Providing Shanahan’s favorite restaurant didn’t burn Rice’s entree, the Broncos should be in good position to land one of the most productive defensive ends in NFL history. Eventually, the Broncos will have to satisfy Rice’s taste for financial comfort. Nothing sells class, after all, like money, especially with the St. Louis Rams also bidding for Rice.
But if things go well for the Broncos, their visit with Rice will extend well beyond Labor Day weekend.
“I don’t want to just go for a place for a year,” Rice said. “I want to be there for a while and cement my legacy. I’m all about legacy, and I’m hungry to achieve it.”
Legacy? Only four players – Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Kevin Greene and John Randle – have more double-digit sack seasons than Rice’s eight.
With 121 career sacks while playing with Arizona and Tampa Bay in his 11-year career, Rice is 13th on the NFL all-time sacks list. He needs eight more sacks to move into the top 10, and another 17 would put Rice into the NFL’s top five.
Can the Broncos help get him there? After Rice, 33, was given the orange-and-blue carpet treatment Sunday, he was expected to enter serious discussions this morning with the Broncos, whose defensive line has been in flux since the final week of training camp. The Broncos wound up dumping veteran defensive tackles Gerard Warren and Jimmy Kennedy, and lost defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban to a season-ending Achilles injury.
“I think I can change a defense,” Rice said. “Another thing I like about Denver is that it’s a historical franchise.”
After never missing a game because of injury through his first 10 seasons, Rice was hampered in 2006 by a season-long shoulder ailment that eventually required surgery. When Rice didn’t pass the team physical prior to training camp, Tampa Bay wanted him back only at a pay cut from the $7.25 million he was scheduled to make this season. Rice refused and was released to free agency.
“My shoulder is straight,” Rice said. “The physical wasn’t the reason. Let’s get real – the reason they let me go was money.”
If he signs with the Broncos today, would Rice be ready to play Sunday in the opener at Buffalo?
“Do birds fly?” he said.
Staff writer Mike Klis can be reached at 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
Staff writer Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-954-1262 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
