Vikes Have Contingency Plan

With the draft now one week away, the Vikings have a contingency plan in place in case the draft scenario they envision doesn't pan out.

The feeling over the first round is upbeat at Winter Park. While the Vikings may not get the player they truly coveted -- DT Dewayne Robertson -- they're confident they will get the 1B to Robertson's 1A -- DT Jimmy Kennedy.

But, the Vikings draft brass aren't so arrogant in their own ability that they have put together a contingency plan. As VU has heard it, here is how it goes:

The first two picks seem like locks -- Carson Palmer to the Bengals and Charles Rogers to the Lions. The next four picks are expected, but not required to go in this order -- Andre Johnson to the Texans, Robertson to the Bears, Terence Newman to the Cowboys and Terrell Suggs to the Cardinals. Each of them fills a specific need that is high on their team's list and would make sense.

But then there's the wrench. The Vikings learned last year after all but calling the Cowboys, telling them they didn't want Roy Williams and had their heart set on Ryan Sims. A trade was struck and the Chiefs jumped in front of the Vikings. The Cowboys are there again -- holding the pick that could snatch Kennedy off the board.

The contingency plan, as VU has been told comes into play if Newman or Johnson are the one player in the top seven that remains when the Vikings pick. In that case, the team would likely swing a trade with the Ravens, give them a chance to choose between QBs Byron Leftwich and Kyle Boller and give the Vikings the option of still taking Newman or, if he's gone taking CB Marcus Trufant.

In theory, their contingency plan works to perfection. Let's see if it works on draft day.