Vikings make offer to keep Evans, Tahi

The Vikings submitted qualifying offers Wednesday to a pair of restricted free agents, defensive tackle Fred Evans and fullback Naufahu Tahi, according to a league source.

The Vikings did not tender their other two restricted free agents -- defensive ends Otis Grigsby and Jayme Mitchell.

The Vikings gave Evans and Tahi the lowest tender for restricted free agents, worth $1.01 million. Other teams can still sign them to offer sheets, but the Vikings have the right to match any offer. If the Vikings don't match an offer for Evans, they would receive a seventh-round pick because that is where he was drafted in 2006.

Because Tahi was an undrafted rookie free agent, the Vikings would get nothing in return if he signed with another team.

Evans started the final three games of the season in place of injured nose tackle Pat Williams. Tahi replaced Thomas Tapeh as the starting fullback early in the season and played in all 17 games.

Offensive lineman Marcus Johnson is not expected to return after being inactive for 10 games last season. Johnson's departure from the Vikings roster actually carries some significance. The fourth-year veteran was the last remaining member from the Vikings' 2005 draft class -- one in which they had two first-round picks, including the seventh overall selection.

That pick was obtained from Oakland in the Randy Moss trade and used to select wide receiver Troy Williamson. The Vikings took Wisconsin defensive end Erasmus James 18th overall with their own first-round pick. Johnson was taken in the second round out of Mississippi and started eight games as a rookie.

That draft was conducted before the current regime of coach Brad Childress and vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman took over.

Spielman was careful with his words when asked about the prospect of having nothing to show from a draft that was conducted only four years ago.

"Hopefully, you're taking enough talented players that can step in and play, and the younger guys that we do draft are able to go out there and compete to where you don't miss that," he said.

Other members of the Vikings' 2005 draft class included safety Dustin Fox (third round), running back Ciatrick Fason (fourth), defensive tackle C.J. Mosley (sixth) and cornerback Adrian Ward (seventh).

Left tackle Bryant McKinnie will have a status hearing March 5 in preparation for his March 16 trial on four charges stemming from a fight outside a Miami nightclub last February. McKinnie's attorney has sought to get his client into a pretrial diversion program that possibly could see the charges dropped if he meets certain conditions.

McKinnie has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, including one felony.