No disrespect, but Rice needs to accept his reduced role.(NFL)(National Football League, Jerry Rice )

Jerry Rice was not a happy camper in Oakland. He caught five balls in the Raiders' first six games and spoke openly about wanting to be a bigger part of the offense. He eventually asked to be traded, a request the Raiders granted last week by sending him to Seattle.

I admire Rice's desire to play. He long ago established himself as the greatest receiver ever, and the fact that he's still playing football--as a receiver, no less--at age 42 is a stunning physical achievement. It's like Nolan Ryan pitching until he was 46. As long as someone is willing to pay Rice to play, that's what he should do.

But he has to accept that his role has changed. He's not going to be a No. 1 receiver anymore because he's not the player he used to be. If he were, 31 teams would have been lined up offering first-round draft picks to the Raiders. As it was, Seattle got him for a conditional seventh-round draft pick.

Rice can help the Seahawks, especially with Koren Robinson likely to be suspended for four games. Rice will be surrounded by more talent in Seattle, from Matt Hasselbeck to Shaun Alexander to Darrell Jackson, so he might even flash some of the skills that produced more receptions, touchdowns and receiving yards than ...