On March 4, the Vikings website was reporting that free-agent running back and return man Maurice Hicks had been signed by the team. Hicks supposedly became the fourth free agent to sign with the team. He’s expected to take over as the Vikings’ primary kick returner.

But as of Sunday (3/9), Hicks does not show on the Vikes roster moves section of the site. There is nothing on the Media Center portion of the site. Nothing on the roster portion of the site. I was starting to panic. Did a break-down in negotiation take place? Did Hicks spend a weekend in the Twin Cities during the recent cold snap and high-tail it out of here for warmer climes?

I finally found mention of it on the news archive, buried deep. But the report is still there so it has to be true, right?

I had gone looking to get an update on what numbers the new players might have chosen. The player I am most interested in is Bernard Berrian (aka the Silent Assassin). On March 2, I wrote why he might end up with #82....you can go back and read that blog entry here. I know you have bad memories of #82, but then we had such high hopes for T.W., didn't we? Just take a look back at my 2006 mini-camp report. Sigh.

As for the others, Madieu Williams will be #20 and Thomas Tapeh will be #44.

What number do you think Berrian will don? Leave a comment. See you Monday when we take a look back to 1996 and the start of it all.

Posted by briankeithmaas@msn.com at March 9, 2008 05:42 PM