Sawyer Goes to I.R.

Concerned about depth at the defensive tackle position, the Vikings opted to put Talance Sawyer on injured reserve Tuesday.

The Vikings didn't get the news they wanted on the progress of the rehabilitation of Talance Sawyer's knee. Because of that, the Vikings didn't wait any longer -- placing Sawyer on injured reserve Tuesday.

One reason given to VU was that depth at the defensive tackle position has been thinning since Sawyer was out and the Vikings wanted to have as many able bodies as they could get Sunday at Tampa Bay as the team clings to the hope of salvaging a late playoff run in the second half of the season.

As expected, the team re-signed Cedric Killings to back up Chris Hovan and Fred Robbins. Killings will be at practice today.

WEDNESDAY NOTES
* Apparently the negotiations with Bryant McKinnie got so intensified over the weekend that McKinnie was looking to book a flight from Miami to Minnesota Monday. But, as of now, no contract has been signed. The Vikings are insisting that collusion charges against the team be dropped by McKinnie and his agents before any deal can be signed. However, it does look like the sides have agreed to give McKinnie a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $9.5 million.
* For the last week, the Vikings have had a vacancy on their practice squad. That was filled Tuesday when the team signed CB Shad Criss.
* The Bucs didn't release the results of an MRI done Monday on Keyshawn Johnson, but a Bucs source told VU that Johnson fully expects to play Sunday. With injuries slowing Keenan McCardell, Joe Jurevicius and QB Brad Johnson, Keyshawn will need to get the damn ball and likely will play.