The Vikings haven't been active in free agency - at least when it comes to signing players outside their organization -- but that doesn't mean the team won't make any major moves.
Rick Spielman, Vikings' vice president of player personnel, left the door open for something to happen recently when he failed to end talk of the franchise pursuing a top-flight quarterback.
"I don't think you ever paint yourself into that we're set at (quarterback)," Spielman said. "What if a great pass rusher comes available? We have Jared Allen, would we not go get a Jared Allen-type talent."
Spielman was referring to the fact the Vikings traded a first- and two third-round picks to Kansas City just before last April's draft to acquire Allen. Spielman wasn't tipping his hand about what type of deals or what players at whom the Vikings might be looking.
Two that come to mind are Denver quarterback Jay Cutler and Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb. Getting either would be a long shot, but the Vikings certainly are monitoring the situations.
Right now, Minnesota is set to go into training camp with Tarvaris Jackson battling Sage Rosenfels for the starting job but neither is considered a top-line starter.
Cutler and McNabb would come at an extremely high price but both are familiar with the West Coast system the Vikings play.
Cutler would appear the more likely of the two to end up on the trading block, given that his relationship with the Broncos seems to have been strained since word leaked that new Denver coach Josh McDaniels had tried to get Matt Cassel from New England. McDaniels had been Cassel's quarterbacks coach with the Patriots before getting the Denver job.
The possibility of adding a top-line quarterback would do wonders for a Vikings team that doesn't have a lot of excitement surrounding it at this point.
