The NFL Scouting Combine is still taking place in Indianapolis, but the media portion concluded on Sunday. Judd has returned from Indy and we'll have an Access Vikings video recap on Startribune.com later today focusing on the events from this past weekend.
There is a lot to mull over from the combine, particularly with the quarterback situation, but the Sidney Rice news from Sunday night also adds some uncertainty to the Vikings offseason thinking.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN that Rice will test the free agent waters first before deciding where to sign. The Vikings have offered Rice a multi-year deal. This is not surprising because it makes sense that Rice would want to see what his market is before making a decision.
The key question of course is whether Rice will be a restricted or unrestricted free agent when a new collective bargaining agreement gets done. He has four accrued seasons but it's unknown at this point whether that will make him restricted or unrestricted in the new deal.
If a new CBA does not get done before the draft, the Vikings face a dilemma: There's a good chance Rice would sign elsewhere as an unrestricted FA. Does that force them then to take a wide receiver in the early rounds just in case?
Wide receiver obviously would become a higher priority if Rice does not resign. But with the labor uncertainty and the threat of a lockout looming later this week, it's hard to know what the end result will be.
Alabama's Julio Jones had a huge performance in his workout at the combine on Sunday. But would the Vikings use their 12th overall pick on a wide receiver without knowing whether Rice will return?
The quarterback question remains the biggest talker around the Vikings. Judd delved into the situation extensively throughout the weekend, and it's going to remain front and center until draft weekend.