Starting berth is Jackson's -- to earn

INDIANAPOLIS - The fluid nature of an NFL offseason means plans made in February often have been altered by April. While that's possible when it comes to the Vikings quarterback situation, the reality is that coach Brad Childress seems prepared to go with a scenario that is sure to be unpopular with the masses.

Childress indicated Friday that he plans to have Tarvaris Jackson vie for the starting job in training camp and that Gus Frerotte could provide the competition -- if the veteran elects to return for the final season of his contract. The Vikings have been linked to New England's Matt Cassel, Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck and Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia in trade and free-agent rumors, but Childress did not provide any fuel for that fire while talking to reporters at the NFL scouting combine.

"I think that Tarvaris continues to improve without a doubt, and I believe he will" continue to improve, Childress said. "I just expect another step in the development."

Asked if there was a scenario under which he could see the Vikings acquiring an unquestioned starter, Childress paused for a few seconds and then said: "Yeah. But right now I would be honest with you and tell you I wouldn't know who that person would be."

Jackson's development has had its rocky moments since the Vikings made him a surprise second-round selection in 2006.

After losing two late-season starts as a rookie, Jackson posted an 8-4 record as a starter in 2007 but missed time because of injury and had three more interceptions than touchdowns (12-9). He was anointed the Vikings' starter last offseason but suffered a knee injury in training camp and had the plug pulled on him after the Vikings opened the season with losses to Green Bay and Indianapolis.

Frerotte replaced him and went 8-3, but Jackson re-emerged in early December after Frerotte suffered a back injury. Jackson played well in relief of Frerotte in leading a comeback victory over Detroit and guided the Vikings to a 2-1 record in their final three games as the team won the NFC North title. But Jackson struggled in the Vikings' opening-round playoff loss to Philadelphia, throwing an interception, no touchdowns and finishing with a 45.4 passer rating.

Nonetheless, Childress feels Jackson is developing as a quarterback. "I tell you what, in many areas he is," Childress said. "He could tell you exactly [where he needs to improve]. Staying away from that one key error, that critical error, living to play another down. The ball security thing. Those are things that the quarterback controls by touching [the ball] 70 times a game. You'd like to expect he's going to get better at that."

The biggest question appears to be whether Frerotte, 37, will accept Childress' offer to compete with Jackson. "We need to put somebody in place that will push [Jackson] and compete with him, and I think competition is the nature of the game," Childress said. "At some places it may not be ... [but] in our situation, we need to have a good healthy competition, because I think that makes everybody better."

Despite his record, Frerotte was tied for fourth in the NFL with 15 interceptions. He did not hide his displeasure when he wasn't reinstated as the starter and has made it clear he wants the job. Frerotte and Childress did not reopen the lines of communication until recently.

"I had a good conversation with Gus the other night," Childress said. "I don't know if Gus has come to any final decisions with where he's at careerwise and mindsetwise, but it's an open door for him to come back, and the past for us is prologue. He's a competitive guy; I respect the fact that he's a competitive guy. He's on the record saying he wants to start and, you know what, I wouldn't want him if he didn't want that. That could be a source of the competition."

Childress said Frerotte has not asked for his release and that there is no timetable for him to make a decision about next season. However, with free agency beginning at 11 p.m. Thursday, the Vikings would like to know as soon as possible if Frerotte does want to come back. It's believed the Vikings have offered to increase his 2009 salary as an enticement.

John David Booty, the Vikings' No. 3 quarterback, remains in the developmental stages, meaning the team would need to look elsewhere for someone to challenge Jackson if Frerotte asks for his release or retires. Frerotte, who has recently undergone arthroscopic surgeries on both of his knees, declined to comment on the situation Friday.