Greenway hopes to start contract discussions soon

Posted on Thu, Jun. 22, 2006

[size=18px]Greenway hopes to start contract discussions soon[/size]

BY DON SEEHOLZER
Pioneer Press

With the conclusion of a two-day voluntary minicamp, the Vikings brought down the curtain Wednesday on their offseason program, but they still have some unfinished business to take care of between now and training camp.

Topping the list is the signing of their six draft choices, led by No. 1 pick Chad Greenway, who said he hopes to initiate contract discussions soon and is determined to be in camp when rookies report to Mankato on July 27.

"Hopefully, both sides will come to a conclusion quickly and get it behind us and get on with the football," he said. "That's the most important thing."

Greenway spent the offseason minicamps working behind E.J. Henderson as the No. 2 weak-side linebacker, but the former Iowa star said he is getting acclimated to his position in the Vikings' new Tampa 2 defense.

"I'm pretty comfortable with it," he said. "Obviously, I've made mistakes every day that I need to work on, but with every practice I concentrate on getting better and coming out here with good enthusiasm and just keep improving. I think I have a pretty good grasp so far, but I've got to keep working on it."

Defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin said the Vikings have high hopes for Greenway and have been pleased by his progress.

"He's doing great," Tomlin said. "To be quite honest with you, we expected him to do great. That's why we took him at 17. He's living up to those expectations thus far, but we have a long way to go. He's a shorts All-American right now. We'll see if he can hit somebody when the pads come on."

Middle muddle: The Vikings ended their offseason program with no clear frontrunner for the starting middle linebacker job, which Tomlin said would be decided in training camp.

"It's absolutely unsettled, but we're comfortable with that," he said. "I know there's been a lot written and said about uneasiness regarding the position, but we're excited. We feel like we're going to have some guys play in there at a high level, and we can't wait to see it happen."

Napoleon Harris and Dontarrious Thomas split time at middle linebacker during the offseason and Tomlin declined to say whether Henderson would get in the mix during training camp or remain at the weak-side spot.

"Like a lot of guys, we're asking him to learn two positions," Tomlin said. "It'll sort itself out on the grass."

Briefly: Unlike last year, the Vikings aren't getting a lot of respect in preseason football publications (The Sporting News picks them to finish 6-10), but cornerback Antoine Winfield said that isn't a bad thing.

"You really can't pay attention to what people think of you," he said. "We have the right coaches and the right players here. It's all about putting it out on the field."

• WFTC, Channel 29, and ESPN announced that WFTC will simulcast three of ESPN's Monday night Vikings games this season: against Oakland in an Aug. 14 exhibition, and against Washington on Sept. 11 and New England on Oct. 30.

Don Seeholzer can be reached at dseeholzer@pione[email protected]

Greenway hopes to start contract discussions soon

I'm not wooried about any of that.. They will get the Greenway signing done, and if we finished at 9-7 last season, there is no way we are finishing 6-10 this season.. Just goes to show, that sports writers don't know crap about anything..

I hope he gets signed quickly, and I seariously doubt we'll go 6-10.

Greenway is a good Midwest kid with Midwest values. He doesn't think he's worth more than he is and he will sign a fair contract. And I doubt the Vikings will offer anything but a fair contract to him. He'll sign before camp.

I hope they'll all get their contract negotiations over and done with for the start of TC

Sign that guy!!! Sign that guy!!!

im not worried about it =) he'll be signed quickly to a 3 year (or 4) contract with a decent signing bonus

we picked him to pay him

I hope that they get them signed quickly

I am sure they will sign him in time. He has not indicated any desire to hold out. With first round picks, agents usually wait until the preceeding picks have signed to determine market value for their player. Greenway needs to wait for a couple dozen other players to sign before he is up.

As long as we don't have another Bryant McKinnie fiasco, we'll be alright.