Ray Rice might want to take a page out of Chip Kelly's job-search strategy.
It was the fired Philadelphia Eagles coach that reached out to the San Francisco 49ers about their head coaching vacancy, leading to their new partnership for the 2016 season.
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Now it's up to the running back on double-secret probation to do the same to Kelly. The coach may appreciate his efforts.
The 49ers need help at running back behind Carlos Hyde, and Kelly showed last season he likes to have three ball carriers to share the load in running in his up-tempo offense, according to the Sacramento Bee.
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Kelly had DeMarco Murray, Darren Sproles and Ryan Mathews in his Eagles backfield last season. Murray turned out to be a huge disappointment, finishing with 702 rushing yards in Philadelphia after accumulating a franchise record 1,845 yards with the Dallas Cowboys in 2014.
The Eagles, however, still managed to rank 14th in the league at 108.9 yards per game with Mathews and Sproles picking up the slack amid Murray's struggles.
He may need to look at the free-agent list in San Francisco to maintain the rushing production he wants.
Kelly's "offenses run the ball a lot -- the Eagles were among the top seven teams in rushing attempts in 2013 and 2014 -- but he typically spreads those runs among three tailbacks in his up-tempo offense," the Sacramento Bee reported. "The question for the 49ers: Who else is going to run the ball in 2016 besides Hyde?"
Both Reggie Bush and Shaun Draught, who were with the 49ers last season, are free agents.
The team has former Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne on the team, as well as Mike Davis and DuJuan Harris.
What they don't have is a four-time 1,000-yard rusher who is hungry to prove himself at age 29.
But the team could get Rice on the cheap and add a veteran that can show Davis, Harris and Hayne how to prepare for games. And they could use their draft picks and cap space on other positions.
Rice also gives Kelly a pass-catching threat out of the backfield that enhances Kelly's scheme.
Besides, Kelly shouldn't feel intimidated by a media onslaught; he had Tim Tebow in his training camp last season.
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