According to his agent Drew Rosenhaus, Vikings WR Sidney Rice will not sign with the team until after he tests the waters of free agency. This news follows quickly after reporting that the Vikings offered Rice a long-term extension and shortly before the potential expiration of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement on March 3, which would stop any negotiation between Rice and the Vikings for the duration of any lockout.

The Vikings have extended a long-term offer to wide receiver Sidney Rice. It isn't clear if the offer was a one-year restricted free-agent deal or a multiyear deal, but an NFL source said the goal is for it to be a long-term contract. Minnesota would be unable to negotiate with Rice after the collective bargaining agreement expires March 3, if the owners lockout the players.

The Vikings hope to re-sign wide receiver Sidney Rice to a long-term contract, according to coach Leslie Frazier. "He is a high, high priority, and I didn't want him to be sensitive about the fact that it was (linebacker) Chad (Greenway) being franchised instead of Sidney," Frazier said. "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." Rice blossomed into a Pro Bowl selection during the 2009 season when he caught 83 passes -- eight for touchdowns.

The Vikings will place the non-exclusive franchise tag Monday on linebacker Chad Greenway, according to a league source. It means that neither wide receiver Sidney Rice nor defensive end Ray Edwards will be tagged and each potentially could become a free agent depending on what happens with the ongoing collective bargaining agreement talks. Since the Vikings didn't use the "exclusive" tag, Greenway can negotiate with other teams. If he receives an offer, the Vikings can either match the other club's offer or receive two first-round draft choices as compensation.

Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams underwent arthroscopic knee surgery this week stemming from lingering knee irritation during the season, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Williams, 30, is not believed to have any significant ligament damage to the knee. He is coming off a substandard season, with a career-low one sack.

The Eagles, Texans and Vikings are all in pursuit of CFL defensive end Phillip Hunt, according to a number of sources. Hunt, 25, worked out for the Texans on Dec. 28, Browns (Dec. 16), Vikings (Dec. 18), Patriots (Dec. 20) and Eagles (Dec. 14).

The commission that operates the Vikings home field is expected to be told Thursday that the Metrodome roof needs to be replaced entirely. According to a source, the project will cost $18 million. The stadium's roof collapsed during a blizzard in December, forcing the Vikings to play their final two home games at alternate sites.

The Vikings lottery scratch-off game was a resounding success in its first year and now the team hopes to use some of the money generated to help pay for a new stadium. The team partnered with the Minnesota State Lottery and the NFL on a Vikings-themed scratch game just before the team reported to training camp in late July. The $10 game has cleared $12 million in total sales, making it one of the most successful games in the state.

The Minnesota Appeals Court said Tuesday it won't permanently block the NFL from suspending Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams and Saints defensive end Will Smith. The players have long fought their four-game suspensions for violating the NFL's anti-doping policy. They tested positive for the banned diuretic bumetanide in 2008.

The Vikings are expected to use their transition tag on Sidney Rice, according to two agents. Rice showed in seven games that some of the explosive ability is still there, although not all the way back to his old form.