Greenway really does sign

**Schleppy** · 07-27-2006, 03:56 PM

Signings roundup: Vikes agree with GreenwayBy Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

The Minnesota Vikings have wrapped up deals with all of their draft choices, as the team late Wednesday night reached an agreement in principle with first-round selection Chad Greenway, a linebacker from Iowa who likely will start as a rookie in the club's retooled defense.

Barring any last-minute complications, Greenway, the 17th overall choice in the draft, is scheduled to officially sign a five-year contract on Thursday and report along with the rest of the team to training camp. The Vikings' initial practice under first-year head coach Brad Childress is on Friday morning. Financial details of the Greenway contract were not yet available.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Vikings signed second-round quarterback Tarvaris Jackson to a four-year contract worth $2.7 million-$2.8 million. The former Alabama State standout is viewed as the Vikings' quarterback of the future, but will be brought along slowly this season, and likely will be No. 3 on the depth chart behind starter Brad Johnson and backup Mike McMahon.

There isn't likely to be such an apprenticeship for Greenway, who will challenge veteran E.J. Henderson for the starting job at weakside linebacker in camp. Under new defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin, who has installed the "cover two" scheme he learned while working in Tampa Bay, the Vikings have shuffled their linebackers during spring workouts, seeking the right three-man combination.

Greenway was a lightly recruited prospect who played eight-man football at Mt. Vernon (S.D.) High School, but blossomed into a playmaker for the Hawkeyes after overcoming a redshirt season and an injury that sidelined him for the first part of his second season on campus.

He started in 38 of his 45 appearances at Iowa and finished with 416 tackles, 29 tackles for losses, seven sacks, four interceptions, 20 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. At 6-foot-2Ã‚Â½ and 242 pounds, Greenway is well built, a tough competitor, and a guy who told his agent to make sure he was in camp on time.

There was a period following the combine workouts in February when Greenway's draft stock seemed to slip with some scouts because of a subpar 40-yard time. But his campus workouts were solid and it was difficult to ignore his overall playmaking skills