Johnson Wants Out

The Vikings gave Brad Johnson a chance to start for them in 2006 despite being 38 years old. While he no longer appears to fit in their plans, Johnson believes he can still be an NFL starter somewhere else. Where exactly this is hasn't been determined or even figured out.

Although the door has been left open for him to stay as a mentor to Tarvaris Jackson, it looks much more likely that Brad Johnson has played his last game for the Vikings.

Johnson, who still has two years remaining on the contract he signed with the Vikings in 2005, believes he can still be a starter in the NFL and wants to seek that opportunity, which won’t happen with the Vikings.

“You don’t want to hold somebody here against their will if he doesn’t want to be here,” head coach Brad Childress said at his season-ending press conference.

Childress gave more specifics about his plans for the QB position. He said he is prepared to go into next year with Jackson and Brooks Bollinger as his quarterbacks. He said he could envision a late-round developmental quarterback as the No. 3 QB or even the possibility of going with just two QBs. He all but ruled out going into the free agent market to tab a veteran.

While Vikings fans would likely prefer to see a veteran backup brought in as a security blanket in the event Jackson and Brooks Bollinger fall flat, it looks almost certain that player won’t be Johnson. While a move could come as early as this week, don’t be surprised to see Johnson let out of his contract before free agency begins in March.

WEDNESDAY NOTES
* It turns out that Travis Taylor was with his mother at the time of his arrest and being tasered by police in the early hours of Jan. 1. Taylor is charged with three misdemeanors. His first court appearance is today.
* Childress had more challenges (12) of officials calls than any other coach in the league. Of those, only four were reversed.
* Word out of Jacksonville is that the Jags are considering promoting Mike Tice to offensive coordinator.