INDIANAPOLIS -- Leslie Frazier made two things clear on Friday morning. The Vikings want to re-sign wide receiver Sidney Rice and they don't have major concerns about his surgically repaired hip. Frazier, in fact, revealed that a contract offer already has been made.

"Our medical staff has assured us that he's going to be fine and he's going to be able to play and be productive for years to come and that's how we've approached it," Frazier said. "That's one of the reasons that we extended him a contract and conversation about getting him a contract. So, we feel good about Sidney." The Star Tribune's Sid Hartman reported today that close friends of Rice claim the surgery he had on his hip last summer didn't cure the problem, that he played in pain when he returned to the lineup and that the problem is arthritis and it's still troubling him. As we wrote Thursday, Rice potentially could become an unrestricted free agent depending on what happens with the collective bargaining agreement. However, there also is a chance that Rice's four years of service would make him a restricted free agent. Rice's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, declined to comment on his client's contract situation this morning. The Vikings made the decision this week to place their franchise tag on linebacker Chad Greenway. Asked about using that designation on Greenway instead of Rice, Frazier said: "Sidney is an outstanding player, as you guys know. He's done a great job for us. But we really felt like where Chad is right now in his career and what he's been able to do and standing on the field and just getting better every single year and what he's done off the field in our community as well, the whole package -- that was the way to go. "That doesn't mean that we don't want Sidney as a Minnesota Viking, because we do. He is a high, high priority, and I didn't want him to be sensitive about the fact that it was Chad being franchised instead of Sidney. That does not mean that we're not going to do right by Sidney, but we couldn't franchise both of them. We want to get Sidney signed and take care of him, because he's going to take care of our football team." Frazier said he had a "great conversation" with Rice recently and that "he wants to be a Viking and I hope we can get things worked out." Hartman also recently reported that in addition to surgery on his hip, Rice also underwent a procedure for a kidney problem before last season. "I really don't want to get into some of the medical questions that are ahead of our guys right now," Frazier said. "But the one thing I can tell you is that he's a guy that we want to be a Viking, and we're going to do everything that we're capable of in trying to get that accomplished. We don't have any medical questions regarding Sidney at this point. Our doctors have cleared him. They've made it clear to us 'Don't hold back in whatever you want to do to try to get him signed' and that's how we're approaching it." Rice, a second-round pick by the Vikings in 2007, had a Pro Bowl season in 2009, catching 83 passes for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns. He was limited to only six games in 2010. Still, Frazier remains confident Rice can rebound. "Without question, we feel that way," he said. "We feel like he'll be productive for years to come and we just want to get the right guy throwing the football to him."