When the Vikings shocking decided to release Randy Moss just four games into his second stint in Minnesota, the general consensus was that the lack of a quality receiver to pair with Percy Harvin wouldn’t last for long, as Sidney Rice seemed to be getting close to getting back on the field.

All of that seemed to be coming to a close last weekend, as Rice looked to be ready to make his return in a crucial division game against the Bears. But that was not to be, as Rice decided on Saturday to stay on the bench instead, and the Vikings once again struggled to find a rhythm offensively as a result.

Rice, who suffered his hip injury late last season but played on through it, made a semi-unpopular choice to have surgery to repair the problem near the end of training camp, leaving the Vikings and Brett Favre without a solid target to throw to, aside from Harvin and Adrian Peterson out of the back field.

That has led to significant speculation as to when Rice will finally decide to step back on the field, and while it’s still likely we’ll see him decked out in pads this season, Chip Scoggins and Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune both believe Rice will pack it in now that the Vikings season is all but over. Their opinion is not without merit, as Rice’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, isn’t likely to be interested in running the risk of having Rice re-injure his hip in a losing cause, especially with free agency riches on the way.

We’ll keep you posted, but for now, hold off on penciling Rice back into the Vikings starting lineup for the time being.

Other posts you may enjoy:

1. Childress close to starting Jackson over Favre
2. No change expected at quarterback for Vikings
3. Childress keeps job, Vikings season over?
4. Childress on thin ice after Moss dismissal