Elling's Agent Wants Answers

Kicker Aaron Elling has enough problems with an injured hip that has cut short his kicking duel with Paul Edinger. Now he has to worry about his agent sticking his nose in Mike Tice's business.

Every agent is out to get the best deal for his client, but often times when it comes to the NFL, outspoken wives, friends or agents are better left unseen and unheard. Good rarely comes from Kurt Warner's wife embarrassing her husband on St. Louis radio or any time Drew Rosenhaus' name is mentioned.

Add Frank Murtha to the list of outsiders that has got the attention of Mike Tice. Murtha, the agent for kicker Aaron Elling, has thrown himself into the middle of the kicking controversry by asking where Tice stands on his client -- wanting answers so he can either relax or shop Elling elsewhere to a team that needs a kicker like the Bucs and Cowboys.

Elling had an MRI on his hip, which he injured in pregame warmups Friday. The results came back negative, but Murtha wants to know whether the performance by Edinger Friday was enough to tip the scales in his favor. Tice had said previously that he expected the battle to be decided in the final preseason game outdoors at Seattle.

Whether Elling has a chance or not isn't for him to decide and certainly not for Murtha to demand answers to. If anything, Murtha may be hurting his client's case, because the Vikings don't need to make a move at the position until next week and, whether the team keeps Edinger or Elling, it will come down to ability -- not what an agent wants an answer to. More times than not, agents are better left seen and not heard.