The Vikings committed five turnovers against the New Orleans Saints and blew a chance to go to the Super Bowl, but they could be the No. 1-ranked team in the NFL when the Las Vegas oddsmakers come out with the favorite to win next year's Super Bowl.

The Vikings will be in much better shape than at the end of last season, when there wasn't any thought of Brett Favre being the team's quarterback and nobody knew how well rookies from the 2010 draft and other young players would develop.

I am convinced Favre will come back for another year because the owners will make it so attractive financially that he won't be able to turn them down.

Nobody on the Vikings is closer to Favre than kicker Ryan Longwell, who also was his teammate in Green Bay.

Longwell is convinced Favre had so much fun this past season -- not only being with a winning team, but loving the people in the locker room -- there is a good chance he will come back.

If Favre doesn't return, the Vikings will make a strong effort to make a trade with the Eagles for Donovan McNabb, who could be replaced by third-year quarterback Kevin Kolb.

Vikings quarterback coach Kevin Rogers coached McNabb in college at Syracuse, and Vikings coach Brad Childress coached McNabb with the Eagles.

If Favre and McNabb are not available, I look for the Vikings to come up with a veteran quarterback who will compete with Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.

The Vikings will start next season with Sidney Rice established as one of the best receivers in the league, after he did little a year ago because of injuries.

Running back Adrian Peterson should solve his fumbling problems in another year, and there is hope rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin will have a solution for his recurring migraine headaches.

Two first-year starters on the offensive line, center John Sullivan and rookie tackle Phil Loadholt, will have another year of experience. Other 2010 draft choices such as linebacker Jasper Brinkley, who started after middle linebacker E.J. Henderson broke his leg; cornerback Asher Allen and safety Jamarca Sanford got valuable playing time.

Also important is that cornerback Antoine Winfield should be healthy after favoring a foot injury most of the season, and Henderson is expected to be ready to play after missing most of the year.

Yes, you might say that without Favre, this team wouldn't have been close to its 13-5 record. But I have confidence in Childress and vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman. They will solve the quarterback problem if Favre decides not to return.

Future concerns The NFL collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of this season, and under the current agreement, the Vikings might have some problems keeping some of their stars in the future if a new agreement cannot be reached soon.

Under the present agreement Rice, a 2007 second-round draft choice, will be a free agent as early as the end of the 2011 season. His contract calls for $3.7 million over four years.

Peterson, who was a seventh overall pick in the 2007 draft, would be a free agent at the end of the 2012 season. His contract was for five years (a sixth year will void) with $17 million in guaranteed money and up to $40 million in incentives.

Harvin, the 21st overall pick in the 2009 draft, will be a free agent in 2014. His contract calls for $12 million over five years.

Jottings Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi says there isn't any internal pressure from him on hockey coach Don Lucia despite the Gophers' 12-12-2 overall record (7-9-2 in the WCHA) this season. However, Maturi admits he is getting a lot of advice and e-mails from fans not happy with the Gophers' record. "I'm sure Don will be the first to tell you that he is not happy with the record of the team," Maturi said. It's amazing what a poor memory these fans have about the great overall job Lucia has done in his 11 seasons coaching the Gophers.

Cretin-Derham Hall tackle Seantrel Henderson, named the offensive player of the year in the country by USA Today, will make his final college visit this weekend, going to the University of Miami (Fla.). Henderson had visitors from Southern Cal in his house this week, when new Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin and his father, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, recruited him. Former Gophers and Redskins center Ray Hitchcock, who coached the Cretin-Derham Hall line and accompanied Henderson to the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, believes Henderson is giving the Gophers serious consideration.

Cornerback Dwight Tillman is the fourth player from Lackawanna (Pa.) Community College who will be in a Gophers football uniform this spring. Tillman visited the campus last weekend and decided to pick the Gophers, who now have commitments from 23 players. The other players coming from Lackawanna are tight end Tiree Eure and safety Herschel Thorton. Offensive tackle Jeff Wills was on the team last year. The Gophers also got a commitment this week from defensive end Ben Perry of Southlake (Texas) High School.

Mark Alt, who quarterbacked Cretin-Derham Hall to a 16-5 victory over Eden Prairie in the Class 5A football final, has just started playing hockey again after breaking his left collarbone playing hockey in October and reinjuring it in the Class 5A championship. Iowa is recruiting Alt for football and he recently visited there. Alt already has committed to the Gophers for hockey, the sport he most likely will continue to play.

Ryan Stoa has one assist in four games since being recalled by the Colorado Avalanche since being recalled from Lake Erie of the AHL, where he had 18 goals and nine assists in 41 games. ... John Pohl is the fourth- leading scorer for the Chicago of the AHL with 13 goals and 16 assists in 39 games. ... Former Gopher Jeff Taffe is the third-leading scorer for Rochester of the AHL with 16 goals and 17 assists in 33 games. ... Former Gophers goalie Jeff Frazee has an 11-10 record with a 2.41 goals-against average and .921 saves percentage for New Jersey's AHL farm team, Lowell.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. • shartman@startribune.com