Monday, September 13, 2010

Time For The Vikings To Go Big At WR?

   As rumors continue to swirl that the Vikings are in the market to trade for San Diego wide receiver Vincent Jackson, team officials spent the weekend setting up visits for four free agent receivers at Winter Park.
The Vikings plan to look at Sam Aiken (Patriots), Reggie Brown (Eagles), Ruvell Martin (Seahawks) and Demetrius Williams (Ravens) as early as Monday. The visits were first reported on Fox and ESPN's pregame shows Sunday and the door also appears to have been left open for veteran Javon Walker to return. Walker was let go in the Vikings' final roster cuts on Sept. 4 after he joined the team late in the preseason.
The flurry of activity came only two days after Vikings coach Brad Childress told reporters he was not thinking about adding to a wide receiver group that is only four deep and combined for four receptions in the Vikings' 14-9 season-opening loss Thursday night at New Orleans.
Quarterback Brett Favre attempted to take the blame for the fact that none of his wide receivers had more than one catch saying he wasn't sharp enough on some passes. But there was little doubt Favre missed the presence of the 6-4 Sidney Rice, who turned into the quarterback's favorite target last season as he had 83 catches for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns.
Rice is expected to miss at least half the season after having hip surgery. Bernard Berrian, who is 6-1, has big play ability but had only one catch for 3 yards against the Saints.
Jackson would be the most attractive of any available receiver because he would give Favre a Rice-like presence. The 6-5 Jackson had a career-high 68 receptions for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns last season. However, there are questions regarding his availability that will need to be cleared up before any team pursues him.

    Jackson, a restricted free agent, remains unsigned and has not reported to the Chargers because he isn't happy with his contract situation. Things get murky because Jackson has been suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. San Diego also placed him on the roster exempt list, meaning he could end up missing six games to start the year.
The NFL contends that Jackson should have to sit out the entire six games even if he is traded; the NFL Players Association says the six-year veteran shouldn't have to miss those final three games if he is with a new team.
    There have been multiple reports that an arbitrator will hear the case Thursday morning and if the ruling goes in Jackson's favor he could be moved quickly. If he is forced to sit out six games, his attractiveness to the Vikings decreases in a big way because Rice might return shortly thereafter.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported in August that the Vikings had made a call to check on Jackson's availability but "immediately balked" at his demands. That would be the same $50 million, five-year contract, with $30 million in guarantees, that caused Seattle to stop talking to Jackson's reps after they received permission to do so.
      The Jackson-to-Minnesota rumors picked up again when reports circulated that his agents had a deal completed Sept. 4 with a team they would not identify. The Union-Tribune said this time the agreement was believed to be for one year and $7 million plus incentives but that it fell through because the unknown team could not come to an agreement with the Chargers.
If Jackson had signed and reported by the 5 p.m. deadline Sept. 4, he could have served his suspension and his time on the roster exempt list concurrently but the league no longer sees it that way. The Vikings, who probably will have Favre for only the remainder of this season and are trying to make another deep playoff run, became the likely candidate as the unnamed team when the Rams and Seahawks were eliminated as the potential suitors by the Union-Tribune.
   One of Jackson's agents, Jonathan Feinsod, and Vikings officials have both declined to comment on whether the team is interested. Even if Jackson doesn't end up with the Vikings, it appears the team could have a fifth receiver on its roster when it plays its home opener on Sunday against Miami.

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