Sunday, Aug. 30 (PM – second edition) – The Browns are considering signing running back Ray Rice.

Hallelujah!!

The word comes with the news that rookie running Duke Johnson could be out a while with a concussion suffered in Saturday night’s 31-7 preseason victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Johnson was hurt on one of the senseless plays quarterback Josh McCown made in the game as he hung the running back out to dry by throwing him a pass late, allowing a linebacker to read the play like a book and drill him into the middle of next week.

Rice is just what the Browns need for their injured and inept running game. From his years with the AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens, we know he is a tough, productive, between-the-tackles runner. And Cleveland wants to power the ball between the tackles. So it is a perfect fit.

In fact, why the Browns have waited this long to sign him is anyone’s guess. He should have been wearing a plain orange helmet two weeks ago when it became clear Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West weren’t cutting it, in part because they didn’t seem to want it badly enough. You can’t count on players who lack heart like that.

Now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty with Rice: Yes, he’s the poster-child for domestic abuse in the NFL, as well he should be. What he did was totally unacceptable, and he needed to be punished for it, which he was.

But he has done everything he could, and has been asked to do, to make amends. Plus his wife has forgiven him.

In a country that forgives people who do all kinds of bad things, it would seem that Rice could be given a second chance as well.

Certainly, if Rice were to be signed, the Browns media relations staff would need to get out in front of it, schedule his “I’m terribly sorry and embarrassed” press conference right away so it’s not hovering over the situation and then protect him from all the people who are going to stand on their moral high horse and try to take Rice down.

But I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: In covering the opposing locker room at Browns games for four years, I found Rice to be one of the best players on any team. He seemed like such a straight shooter. I was shocked when he smacked his wife in that elevator. That wasn’t the guy I saw on those trips into Cleveland.

Because of that, I maintain that what he did was an aberration, from which he has learned and grown tremendously. The real Ray Rice is a good person, and the Browns need to be the ones to give him another opportunity to prove that before some other running backs-poor team beats them to the punch.

So do it now, Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine. For the sake of your team, this season and the fact the greatest fans in the world deserve a winner, do it now.

It would seem that Farmer would understand second chances better than anyone from his involvement in Textgate. As such, he should be leading the charge to sign Rice.

In addition to that, his job – and that of Pettine – may depend on it to a certain degree.