Vikings on trail of small-school QB?

The Vikings are showing an interest in a small-school quarterback once again. As per usual, it’s unclear how serious the interest is, but it’s another interesting prospect to follow.

As the pre-draft focus of many teams switches to quarterbacks like Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy, the Vikings are looking at a quarterback deep on the draft chart, according to the Star Tribune.

Of their 30 draft-eligible prospects they can bring in for a personal workout, the Vikings are going to bring in quarterback R.J. Archer of William & Mary – a player most scouts have ranked outside the top 20 quarterbacks available, which would likely put him in the realm of an undrafted free agent.

Archer was a one-year starter at William & Mary, and was a second-team All-Colonial Athletic Conference pick in 2009. The Vikings’ interest in him is unclear. Some contend he could be the next Tyler Thigpen, a player the Vikings drafted late out of Coastal Carolina and tried to slip onto the practice squad in 2007. The Chiefs claimed Thigpen, who ended up being a part-time starter for Kansas City before the new regime brought in former Patriot Matt Cassel.

Others think the Vikings might be just sending out a smoke screen to potentially throw off interest they may have in another quarterback. Such is the subterfuge of the pre-draft maneuvering in the NFL.

Whether a legitimate interest or an elaborate hoax to throw off other teams, Archer is expected to visit Winter Park today or tomorrow. Do the Vikes have a legitimate interest in Archer? We’ll have to wait and see, but it would appear the draft head games have begun.

TUESDAY NOTES

There are some reports surfacing that Donovan McNabb could “pull a Favre” on the Redskins and end up with the Vikings in 2011. McNabb, who was traded Sunday by the Eagles to the division-rival Redskins, has just one year left on his current contract. If Washington can’t lock down a contract extension, which would seem logical to try since it gave up a high second-round pick in this year’s draft and a conditional pick (either a third- or fourth-rounder) next year, McNabb would become a free agent in 2011. Just as the Packers shipped off Brett Favre to the Jets, the Redskins may be a short-term landing spot for McNabb and, if Favre returns for 2010 and rides off into the sunset after that, the reuniting of McNabb and head coach Brad Childress may not be that far off.

Reports are that part of the McNabb trade talks included an offer from the Redskins to trade DT Albert Haynesworth, who signed a nine-figure contract with Washington just last year as the plum of the 2009 free-agent class. How quickly opinions on a player can change, even though Washington has paid out more than $20 million in one season that wouldn’t be recouped if he was traded.

In what can’t be viewed as good news for the Oakland organization, word has surfaced that had McNabb been traded to the Raiders, he would have retired rather than play for the silver and black – not exactly a ringing endorsement of the Raiders organization.

The Rams took a big step closer to making their intentions of signing Sam Bradford with the first pick in the draft known, releasing veteran QB Marc Bulger.

There are a few people around the NFL that call Favre “grandpa,” but they can do it legitimately soon. Favre’s oldest daughter Brittany is expecting a baby soon, according to Larry Fitzgerald Sr., which would make Favre a grandfather playing in the NFL if he returns for the 2010 season.