Patrick Reusse: Berrian might be worth the bucks

Howard Slusher was an agent from the '80s with a tremendous ability to agitate NFL owners. The Vikings' Mike Lynn gave him the nickname "Agent Orange" that would follow Slusher to the grave.

Drew Rosenhaus is the modern-day equivalent. The loathing for Rosenhaus in the NFL doesn't match what baseball management feels for Scott Boras, but there are definitely teams that like to avoid him if possible.

The Vikings aren't among them. They weren't deterred that Bernard Berrian, the No. 1 receiver on the free-agent market, was a Rosenhaus client.

On the first day of free agency, the Vikings flew in Berrian on owner Zygi Wilf's private jet. When Rosenhaus didn't get his number immediately, he threatened to put Berrian on a plane to Oakland.

No player in his right mind wants to go to the Raiders, but Rosenhaus pitched the idea that Berrian wouldn't mind because he comes from nearby Fresno.

The Vikings decided not to call the bluff. They offered a six-year, $42 million deal, with $16 million guaranteed, and Berrian said, "Somebody get me a pen." The consensus in the NFL seemed to be that it was another TKO for Rosenhaus -- that the Vikings paid Berrian well beyond his market value.

That idea gained momentum during the first month of the schedule. The Vikings were 1-3 and Berrian had the modest totals of 11 catches for 195 yards without a touchdown.

And then came Monday night in New Orleans:

Reggie Bush's second punt return for a touchdown put the Saints ahead 27-20 with 11 1/2 minutes remaining. The folks inside the Superdome were roaring as the Vikings offense took the field having scored one touchdown on a 5-yard drive.

On first-and-10 from the Vikings 37, Frerotte delivered the ball deep left as the Saints' Will Smith was about to stampede him. Berrian beat safety Kevin Kaesviharn and took it for a 36-yard gain.

Frerotte was down for a long count, went to the sideline and came back after one play. Soon, it was third-and-16 from the Saints 33. Again, Frerotte was under a heavy rush and seemed to fling the ball desperately down the middle.

Here came Berrian from nowhere, grabbed the ball and then held it as his legs were taken from under him by teammate Aundrae Allison.

Touchdown, 27-27, and masses of Minnesotans back home were shouting at their TV, "That's why the Purple signed Berrian." Later, Berrian drew a 42-yard pass interference penalty from Kaesviharn to set up the winning field goal.

"That's exactly what I do as a receiver," Berrian said during the week. "I stretch the field. I make big plays."

He was asked why it took until desperation time for the Vikings to go over the top against the Saints.

"There might have been a few chances earlier in the game," he said. "It takes the right coverage and protection for Gus. It's not like the deep ball is there all the time."

Berrian injured the big toe on his right foot in the first exhibition game. This was the reoccurrence of a problem he had previously in Chicago. Obviously, that was a healthier Berrian making the big plays for the Vikings in New Orleans.

"No, that was the least healthy I've been," he said.

Berrian now has a sore knee to go with the bad toe. He was held out of practice at midweek because of the knee.

"I feel about the same as I did against the Saints," he said. "Not great. Good enough to play."

The Vikings actually have been underdogs in four of five games -- meaning, 2-3 going into today's guaranteed victory over Detroit might not be worthy of all the public angst.

"This was the toughest part of the schedule when you look at it," Berrian said. "But that doesn't matter. People know we are better than a 2-3 team. I don't blame them for being upset. Hopefully, we'll be showing a lot more of that big-play offense we had in the fourth quarter."

Those plays came for Berrian -- paying his first dividend on that contract as Big Play Bernard.

Patrick Reusse can be heard weekdays on AM-1500 KSTP at 6:45 and 7:45 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. preussse@startribune.com