The NFL's free agency period is nearing, it begins at 11:01 p.m. Thursday, but it doesn't figure to to be all that interesting if you're a Vikings fan.

As we've pointed out several times, the Vikings won't be able to participate in the unrestricted market unless they first lose one of their own unrestricted free agents (Artis Hicks, Jimmy Kennedy, Benny Sapp and Chester Taylor). With no new collective bargaining agreement reached, that's the price they will pay for being one of the final four teams in the NFL's playoff tournament.

Thus, while the excitement starts in free agency, Vikings fans will be far more interested in hearing what Brett Favre has to say during his appearance with Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" on Thursday.

Hicks' agent said on Tuesday that he expects his client to hit the market and honestly at this point I would not be surprised if Kennedy, Sapp and Taylor end up shopping their services. I'm expecting that Taylor not only will become a free agent but could get signed in fairly quick fashion considering the UFA market isn't all that strong. Taylor will be competing with the likes of Thomas Jones, LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook, Willie Parker and Darren Sproles, who won't be tendered a contract offer by San Diego.

If the Vikings lose Taylor, they could then move to sign an unrestricted free agent from outside the organization but that player would have to be paid a similar amount to what Taylor received from his new team.

As for the Vikings' restricted free agents, keep in mind that players with four or five years of experience and expiring contracts will NOT be unrestricted free agents under the rules that apply to the last year of the CBA. That means the Vikings can tender offers to defensive end Ray Edwards (four accrued seasons), cornerback Karl Paymah (five), fullback Naufahu Tahi (four), offensive lineman Ryan Cook (four), nose tackle Fred Evans (four) and quarterback Tarvaris Jackson (four).

All would have been unrestricted under the previous rules of the CBA. Safety Eric Frampton also is a restricted free agent but he has only three years in the league so he would have been restricted no matter what the situation.

As for the tenders the Vikings can offer these players, that differs based on experience. Here is the breakdown of the tender offers from the NFL Labor website. (Thursday at 10:59 p.m. CST is the deadline for submission of qualifying offers by clubs to their restricted free agents whose contracts have expired and to whom they desire to retain a right of first refusal/compensation).

Player with THREE Accrued Seasons

Right of First Refusal — $1,101,000
Right of First Refusal + Pick in player's original draft round — $1,101,000
Right of First Refusal + Second-Round Draft Pick — $1,684,000
Right of First Refusal + First-Round Draft Pick — $2,396,000
Right of First Refusal + First- AND Third-Round Draft Picks — $3,043,000

Player with FOUR Accrued Seasons Right of First Refusal — $1,176,000
Right of First Refusal + Pick in player's original draft round — $1,176,000
Right of First Refusal + Second-Round Draft Pick — $1,759,000
Right of First Refusal + First-Round Draft Pick — $2,521,000
Right of First Refusal + First- AND Third-Round Draft Picks — $3,168,000 Player with FIVE Accrued Seasons Right of First Refusal — $1,226,000
Right of First Refusal + Pick in player's original draft round — $1,226,000
Right of First Refusal + Second-Round Draft Pick — $1,809,000
Right of First Refusal + First-Round Draft Pick — $2,621,000
Right of First Refusal + First- AND Third-Round Draft Picks — $3,268,000