Rice takes

Now that Ray Rice is being allowed to return to the NFL, finding a team willing to take on the public-relations hit of signing him may be difficult.

New York Times columnist Benjamin Hoffman says the Oakland Raiders should be one of the leading contenders.

“Al Davis was known for taking on the most difficult players and finding a use for them, regardless of what anyone thought,” Hoffman wrote. “If his son Mark, the team’s current owner, wants to emulate his father, signing a player like Rice, who may bring a boost to a running game that has produced an NFL-low 809 yards, would certainly qualify.

“Considering the team has won only one of its past 17 games, Raiders fans may be willing to look past Rice’s off-field issues and focus on his ability.”