The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... We've heard several times this offseason that Rice wants to be paid like one of the NFL's elite backs, and that the player and the team are far apart in contract talks. But Sal Paolantonio of ESPN might have had the report that put the distance between the Ravens and Rice into the starkest terms yet: Paolantonio said that when talking to a senior Ravens official about reports that Rice wants Adrian Peterson money or at least Chris Johnson money, that senior team official said, "That is simply not going to happen."

Diehards Line:In case you missed it, Peterson signed a seven-year, $100 million deal with $36 million guaranteed, while Johnson signed a six-year, $56 million contract with $30 million guaranteed. Rice can't expect to get that -- especially after Johnson had his worst season as a pro and Peterson blew out an ACL after getting their big-money deals. Indeed, most teams have started to view the position as one in which previously unheralded -- and much cheaper -- players can easily emerge as productive weapons. So, as PFT's Michael David Smith points summed up: "Rice may come to terms with the Ravens on a new deal, but only if he's willing to take a lot less than Peterson and Johnson got. ..." Remember: If no deal is reached by July 16, Rice will end up playing for the one-year franchise tender of $7.7 million.