Rice Simply a Smokescreen for Giants?

DE Simeon Rice is due to meet with the Giants today and take a physical on Wednesday before heading down to meet with Tennessee officials later in the week. Whether the Giants are trying to send a message to AWOL Michael Strahan or are legitimately interested in adding Rice remains to be seen.

Rice's 121 career sacks is second only to Strahan's 132.5 among active players, but Rice is not yet fully healed from a shoulder injury and he would be used mostly as a situational pass rusher. The Giants will need an every down end if Strahan decides to retire, and they would prefer not to move Mathias Kiwanuka back from the outside linebacker spot he has been working at all offseason. And the biggest issue could be where Rice would play. He is a right end, the same spot occupied on the Giants by Osi Umenyiora, who has made it clear he has not intention of switching to the left side.

The answer could already be on the roster. Third-year DE Justin Tuck appears healthy after spending 10 games on Injured Reserve with a foot injury last season. He has just one career sack, but at 6-feet-5 and 275 pounds, he is the type of physical presence the Giants need to hold up as an every-down player on the left side. However, it's a big gamble to take on an unproven player coming off a significant injury.