EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - New Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has taken a methodical approach to evaluating the teams muddled quarterback situation, refusing to make any concrete statements about the position until he had time to do his homework and come to a decision. With free agency less than a week away, the coach appears to have come to at least one conclusion: Zimmer wants Matt Cassel to return to Minnesota next season, if the free agent-to-be decides he wants to be with the Vikings. "I would love to have Matt Cassel back if Matt Cassel wants to be back," Zimmer said Thursday. "I dont know if that will happen or wont happen. But were going to find a quarterback somewhere. And if its not Matt Cassel, then well find someone else. "I want guys who want to be here. I want guys that want to be part of the franchise, be part of the organization, be part of the team. And if Matt wants to come back, Im sure that well get it worked out." Zimmer said he has had conversations with Cassel, who went 3-3 in his six starts last season and was on the field at the end of the game for all five Vikings victories, to that effect. Cassel opted out of his contract last month and Zimmer said he expected Cassel to explore free agency before the quarterback makes a decision. Free agents can sign with new teams starting on Tuesday. "Hes got a bunch of pretty girls looking at him right now," Zimmer said, referring to teams that are expected to court Cassel in free agency. "And he wants to explore and see whats best for him. I dont blame any of these guys. In free agency, I think thats why they have the rules is that they get a chance to go see what their markets worth." Last year Cassel split the duties with Christian Ponder for most of the season, with Josh Freeman also getting one start. Cassel completed 60.2 per cent of his passes for 1,807 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. "I think the team rallied around him a lot but I think the team has a lot of confidence in him," Zimmer said. "Other than playing against him I dont that much about him yet other than the conversation that we had on the phone." The Vikings have the eighth overall pick in the upcoming draft and are expected to look at drafting a quarterback. But with star running back Adrian Peterson approaching 30 years old, bringing in a veteran quarterback to serve as a bridge until that young player is ready is an avenue the team will consider. One player Peterson wants the Vikings to pursue is Michael Vick, who likely will be looking for a starting job after losing his in Philadelphia to Nick Foles. Peterson tweeted on Thursday that Vick "would (instantly) make the Vikings a playoff team!" "I think he has his opinions," Zimmer said about Peterson. "I like Adrian a lot from the little time that Ive talked to him. I know that hes a great running back. I dont know anything else." Zimmer said he would also like to have receiver Jerome Simpson and longtime defensive stars Jared Allen and Kevin Williams back as well, if all three decide they want to play for the Vikings and accept what could be different roles than the ones they had under the previous regime. Allen and Williams likely would have to take significant paycuts to return. "I think it would be great for him to finish here," Zimmer said of Allen, "but I do understand the business part of all this stuff and if it doesnt work out, it doesnt work out." In general, Zimmer said the Vikings have "a lot of holes to fill" on both sides of the ball as free agency approaches. But the coach expected the team to take a pragmatic approach, focusing more on the draft than making a big splash by signing high-priced veterans. "I think if we go out and spend a whole bunch of money now, wed be upset two years from now because some of them didnt work out," Zimmer said. "So were going to be real diligent in how we approach this and making sure that not only is it best for next year, but best for the long run too." NOTES: The Vikings released DT LeTroy Guion and WR Greg Childs. Guion started 31 games in six seasons with the Vikings, but the team saved $4 million by cutting him. Childs was a fourth-round draft choice in 2012, but never played in a game after tearing the patellar tendons in both knees in training camp during his rookie year. ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Mike Evans Jersey . Kalish got his first hit since Sept. 11, 2012, when he rapped an RBI triple in the first inning Sunday in the Chicago Cubs 8-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. O. J. Howard Jersey . The Boston Celtics hadnt played since the All-Star break. 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MacIntyre stopped 49 shots and the Marlies defeated the Texas Stars 5-1 in Game 1 of the American Hockey Leagues Western Conference final. "I felt in control, so that was nice," MacIntyre said.(SportsNetwork.com) - In his more reflective moments you can bet Phil Emery looks in the mirror and realizes that he made a mistake by plucking Marc Trestman out of the CFL to be the head coach of the Chicago Bears. By admitting that, though, the Bears general manager would be highlighting his own failings and placing a rather sizeable bulls-eye on his own back when it comes to any future employment prospects in the Windy City. For that reason and that reason alone, Trestman will likely get a third opportunity to try to resuscitate the Bears in an NFC North that is seemingly now the Green Bay Packers birthright. I dont think it ever has changed here. By all the key parties that youre thinking about, Trestman said after his teams latest loss, a 41-28 drubbing at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. It has been tremendously supportive, during the good weeks and bad weeks. And it has been extremely consistent by everybody here. The only thing that people ask me here is what can they do to help, Trestman continued. And that comes from all areas of this building. What can we do to help you along? And that support has been very heartfelt. Things arent so heartfelt for defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, however. In the its-so-obvious-why-do-you-need-to-report-it department, NFL Media leaked the upcoming Bears narrative Sunday when they reported Tucker will likely be the one paying for the sins of those higher up on the food chain. The NFL Networks Ian Rapoport was the one claiming that the Bears will be terminating Tuckers deal at seasons end which is comparable to breaking the news that the sun will rise Monday. There are a number of issues with the Bears, who will be missing the postseason for the seventh time and eight years, but they start at the top where its always been about signing high-profile names in free agency and cost-cutting where you dont have a salary cap and can really make inroads, the coaching staff. That flawed philosophy is only magnified because the Packers, CChicagos most- heated rival, do things the opposite way, largely eschewing free agency in favor of the draft, while possessing one of the leagues most highly-regarded coaching staffs.dddddddddddd Its not like you should feel sorry for Tucker or that he has done a good job in Chicago, however. The Bears are 26th in total defense, allowing 377.8 yards per game and the team has given up more than 50 points on two different occasions. Theyve also been blown out five different times, the latest of which was Thursday in Soldier Field when the Cowboys blew into town. Whats unfair is the illogical belief in the Second City that the Bears are a talented but underachieving team because of all the high-profile names that dot the roster. Offensively you can at least make that argument because players like Brandon Marshall (before his injury on Thursday) and Jay Cutler can still perform at a high level, at least on occasion. Even thats nonsense of course because Cutler is orchestrating things and he is this generations Jeff George, a signal caller with elite arm talent but no leaderships skill to speak of and the body language of a pre-teen who hasnt gotten his way. Yet, Emery still signed him to a seven-year, $126.7 million extension this past offseason, with $54 million of that guaranteed. In Tuckers domain, observers who dont understand look at names like Jared Allen, Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman and assume they will always be the players they once were. In truth they were all descending talents coming into the 2014 season, far closer to the end of spectacular careers than the beginning. And when Tillman and then Briggs were lost to injury for yet another campaign, the floor fell out because depth is a major issue, something that again points toward Emery far more than Tucker or even Trestman. Moving forward by jettisoning Tucker is like putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg. Its simply not addressing the real problem for Chicago. And when Emery looks in that mirror, he knows it. Blackhawks Jerseys Store Cheap Wild Jerseys Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Penguins Jerseys Store Capitals Jerseys For Sale Blues Jerseys Store Cheap Kings Jerseys Adidas Lightning Jerseys Stars Jerseys For Sale Cheap Predators Jerseys Ducks Store Sharks Jerseys For Sale Cheap Sabres Jerseys Rangers Jerseys For Sale ' ' '