The addition of the Houston Texans to the league in 2002 could affect the addition of offensive lineman Corbin Lacina to the Vikings in 2001. The length of Lacina’s contract could become an issue.

Even before the Vikings found themselves with some additional spending money in free agency as June 1 came and went, VU had been told the team’s immediate need was going to come with two players — Chris Walsh and Corbin Lacina.

With Walsh already signed and in the fold, the team is now going to turn its focus to Lacina. There are two strategies that may come into play as it regards Lacina. The first is signing him to a one-year deal for a little over the league veteran minimum of $477,000 with playing time incentives. The other may be to hook him for a two-year deal.

From what VU has been told, both the Vikings and Lacina’s people like the first option. At age 30, Lacina could benefit from the influx of free agent money that will be coming when Houston enters the NFL and starts spending. As a free agent next year, he could be in line for better money to provide for his own financial security, but, with an expansion team, he won’t have the luxury of competing for a Super Bowl title if he were to sign with the Texans.

The ripple effect on expansion has reared its head twice in recent years. When Jacksonville and Carolina entered the NFL, the amount of big free agent contracts and even mid-level deals went way up, because the newbies had more money to throw around and, with no restraints on them, both the Jags and Panthers advanced to a conference title game very quickly. The same wasn’t true when Cleveland joined the league, but, as Vikings fans can attest from seeing players continue to go from Minnesota to Cleveland, there’s something to be said for having cash that most of the league doesn’t have.

WEDNESDAY NOTES
* With Walsh signing a two-year deal, he becomes the only Viking wide receiver officially under contract for the 2002 season, but, seeing as the price of his deal nearly doubles in 2002, there are no guarantees he will be brought back unless the Vikings need him when (and if) Cris Carter retires after this season.
* As reported back in February by VU, Walsh still has to await word from the league about whether he will be suspended. In February, he pleaded guilty to a second DUI conviction in three years, which, under the league agreement with the players union, means he must enter the league’s substance abuse policy program and will likely be suspended for two games — but it could be as many as four games — to start the 2001 season.
* Rookies are beginning to sign and the numbers continue to climb. Tuesday, Indianapolis announced the signing of cornerback Raymond Walls, a fifth-round draft pick, to a three-year, $1.006 million contract. While most of the deal is tied into the third year and he could be cut long before that comes due, it continues to show that the cost of paying rookies continues on the rise.
* Former Viking Andrew Glover is finding it difficult to get work. After being cut by the Saints, he has received interest from just two teams — Pittsburgh and Arizona — and neither has offered him a contract.
* Former Viking Brad Johnson, according to Tampa Bay source with VU, is doing well in the team’s voluntary workouts and is quite popular with his new teammates — as are other former Vikings Randall McDaniel and Jeff Christy.
* Are you ready for more prime time football? The NFL announced Tuesday that Saturday night may actually be a night fans would watch real football — not the Ex-FL. The NFL is going to move the start times of wild card and divisional playoff matchups for the Saturday games Jan. 5 and 12 from the usual 12:30 and 4 p.m. Eastern Time starts to 3:30 and 7 p.m. — allowing the second game to run in its entirety in prime time. No changes are coming for Sunday telecasts — so fans of "60 Minutes" and "The Simpsons" need not worry. The league also said it is going to start four Saturday games late in the regular season one hour later, so as to test out the drawing power of Saturday games on the networks.