| Dwight Smith was released by the New Orleans | | | | Offord appeared to be ready to compete for the |
| Saints last Thursday and he will probably start with | | | | starting job there. Acquiring Smith might change that. |
| another team by the end of this week: the Minnesota | | | | Agent Drew Rosenhaus said that, until a deal is not |
| Vikings. Apparently he has been meeting with this | | | | confirmed, all of the teams that are seriously pursuing |
| team's coaches and officials since last Monday. | | | | Dwight Smith will be in camp by the end of this week. |
| Minnesota already has a Pro Bowl free safety: Darren | | | | Smith is the kind of safety that many teams want, an |
| Sharper, who is a nine-year veteran and has | | | | interior defender with cornerback-level coverage skills. |
| registered nine interceptions in 2005, but the team | | | | As a matter of fact, Smith started his career with the |
| seems prepared to make accommodations to fit | | | | Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a standout nickel |
| Smith into the lineup. If Smith is acquired, Sharper might | | | | cornerback and then he was moved to safety in 2003. |
| move to strong safety in the cover two scheme, | | | | Dwight Smith who is 27 years old, supplies a defense |
| allowing him to play closer to the line of scrimmage on | | | | with fantastic flexibility because of his hybrid skills and |
| occasion. | | | | his ability to move out into the slot and cover wide |
| Adding the five year veteran to the Vikings draft | | | | receivers. |
| would provide Minnesota with a pair of safeties in the | | | | Smith has appeared in 78 games and started 49 of |
| scheme that Tomlin established in the off-season, and | | | | them during his career. He has 306 tackles, one sack, |
| more support to the standout cornerbacks Antoine | | | | 14 interceptions, 45 passes defended, seven forced |
| Winfield and Fred Smoot. | | | | fumbles and two recoveries. In Super Bowl XXXVII |
| The Vikings have signed the former Tennessee Titans | | | | when Tampa Bay won over the Oakland Raiders, |
| starting strong safety Tank Williams as an unrestricted | | | | Smith returned two interceptions for touchdowns. |
| free agent and he and the four-year veteran Willie | | | | |