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Filling a gap Vikings sign OG Badger after Redskins refuse to match
Posted: Tuesday April 11, 2000 07:32 PM
By Don Banks, Sports Illustrated The Minnesota Vikings gained a potential starting left guard Tuesday when Washington declined to match their two-year offer sheet to restricted free agent Brad Badger. The Redskins had until Friday to decide whether to retain Badger, who is entering his fourth season, but took less than 24 hours in deciding to accept a fifth-round draft pick in compensation from Minnesota. Badger will compete for the starting vacancy created when the Vikings released perennial Pro Bowl guard Randall McDaniel in February, citing salary cap concerns. Badger has started 21 of his 42 career games with Washington after being drafted in the fifth round out of Stanford in 1997. He received a two-year, $2 million contract from the Vikings, including a signing bonus of $325,000. Washington received the first of Minnesota's two fifth-round picks, 155th overall, and now has a fifth-round selection and eight picks overall in this weekend's draft. The Redskins original fifth-rounder, No. 154, went to San Francisco in a trade. The Vikings' second fifth-round pick, 165th overall, is a compensatory selection. Minnesota now has 10 picks in this year's draft. Badger was scheduled to earn $472,000 this season from Washington. But the Vikings offer included a $385,000 base in 2000, a $790,000 base in 2001 and a $500,000 March 1 roster bonus in 2001. Badger becomes just the fourth restricted free agent this offseason to change teams, joining New Orleans linebacker Charlie Clemons, who is now with St. Louis, San Diego running back Robert Chancey, who was signed by Dallas, and Cowboys punter Toby Gowin, who signed with New Orleans. Veteran Corbin Lacina and third-year man Chris Liwienski are the Vikings' other two candidates to earn the left guard slot that was manned by McDaniel since 1988. Liwienski has never started an NFL game and Lacina has 38 starts in his six seasons in the league, playing for Buffalo, Carolina and Minnesota. Badger started all 16 games for the Redskins in 1998, playing three different positions. He started the season's first 10 games at left tackle, before moving to right guard and back to his natural left guard position. Last season the 6-foot-4, 308-pound Badger started four of the 14 games he played in, all at left guard in midseason, in place of the injured Keith Sims. In other Vikings news, restricted free agent receiver Matthew Hatchette signed the one-year minimum tender of $1.027 million that he was offered in February. The team intends to continue discussions with Hatchette on a long-term deal.
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