Kevin Williams believes the Minnesota Vikings are sending him a message by signing three new defensive linemen: goodbye.
Asked by the St. Paul Pioneer Press whether the additions Thursday of former Saints defensive tackle Tom Johnson and former Bears defensive end Corey Wootton meant his 11-year career in Minnesota was over, the six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle answered, “Yeah. I don’t see any other reason.’’ Of the two free-agent signings, he added, "That speaks for itself.''
Williams, who turns 34 in August, has spent his entire career as a Viking, and he told the Pioneer Press that he wants to keep playing. "We'll see wherever I end up going,'' he said.
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Vikings general manager Rick Spielman did not immediately return a call from the paper for comment. Asked by reporters last Friday whether he wanted to bring Williams back, Spielman said, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "I told (his agent) we’d leave it open but we are trying to address some other needs that we definitely wanted to get done first, but there’s no decision that’s been made on Kevin Williams at this point."
Besides Johnson and Wootton, the Vikings, under new head coach and longtime NFL defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, have also added free agent tackle Linval Joseph from the Giants, and re-signed defensive end Everson Griffen. The Vikings gave up the most points and tied for the second-most yards given up in the league last season.
The seemingly-imminent departure of end Jared Allen as a free agent likely would accelerate Williams' departure. The Vikings drafted Williams' eventual replacement, nose tackle Sharrif Floyd, in the first round last year, and they pursued free-agent tackle Henry Melton before he signed with the Cowboys.