Rice wants to end his H.O.F career as a backup.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Maybe - just MAYBE - the value that Jerry Rice will bring to the Broncos is well beyond what he will do on the field during the season. Maybe, he will lead by example and show some of those young receivers what it takes to become the "greatest WR in the history of the NFL".

IF - and this is a big "if" - he can show one or more of these "kids" what is necessary on their part to become one of the all-time greats at that position and IF those "kids" assimilate all that and decide to work to try to become one of the all-time greats at the position, then Jerry Rice will have been a bargain at whatever the price of his contract for 2005/6 might be.

On the other hand, if he is only there to play football and "produce on the field", then Denver probably paid more for him than he's worth at this late stage of his career...