Is Moorhead the Answer?

Vikings fans were excited at the prospect of having money to spend on a big-time free-agent wide receiver a month ago. But, as the signings have come and gone, all the Vikings have to show for it is Bobby Wade and the prospect of signing Aaron Moorhead...not exactly what purple passion people had in mind.

The Vikings apparently didn’t like the 2007 free-agent crop at wide receiver. A month after free agency began, wide receiver was one of hot positions. Teams competed for the services of such players as Donte Stallworth, Drew Bennett, Kevin Curtis, Ashley Lelie and Bobby Engram.

All of those players ended up with new contracts. With the exception of Curtis, who caused something of a furor by firing his agent after a visit with the Vikings and before he eventually signed a long-term deal, the Vikings were out of the mix for almost all of them.

On Monday, Colts backup Aaron Moorhead will come for a two-day visit, which could push the Vikings into making a contract offer. Why? Aside from Moorhead, the top available free agent wide receivers available are Eric Moulds, Travis Taylor and Corey Bradford. All of them have appeared to have seen better days and their next stop will likely put them into the journeyman category.

While the Vikings are clearly looking to the draft as a way to replenish the wide receiver ranks, it seems puzzling that, as a position of clear need that has been filled by a collection of available veterans since the departure of Randy Moss, when the chance was there to get a legitimate No. 1 receiver, the Vikings focused on part-time guys like Moorhead and Bobby Wade. Maybe the front office guys know what their plan is, but it would seem that they have missed the boat when it comes to replenishing a position of clear need – much less with the expectation that unproven Tarvaris Jackson is going to be the guy getting them the ball.

SUNDAY NOTES
*The Vikings have made something of a tradition of corralling their fans into the fieldhouse at Winter Park for draft weekend festivities. While the event marks what many view as the official opening day of the 2007 season, the event has also been known to cause its share of controversy. When the Vikings were skipped over on draft day 2003 when a trade with the Ravens fell through as the clock ran out, fans let the Vikings know about it by booing Mike Tice when he came to the podium to try to sell the fans on Kevin Williams. In hindsight, who would boo that move now? Tickets go on sale Monday and can be purchased by calling 612-338-4537.
* Wide receiver Robert Meacham is going to be a busy man heading into draft day. He has pre-draft visits scheduled with not only the Vikings, but with the Bills, Chiefs, Patriots, Rams, Chargers, 49ers and Titans. With so many teams looking for help at wide receiver, this year’s draft could be very WR intensive in the first couple of rounds.
* The Raiders had their first OTA session this weekend and one of the few absentee players was Randy Moss – perhaps another sign that he might be forcing new coach Lane Kiffin’s hand into moving him out of the Bay Area.
* Just a word to the wise for sports fans today. Don’t believe everything you hear or read today. After all, April 1 brings out the worst in pranksters everywhere.