Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman told KFANRadio today that theVikings pursuit offree-agent running back LaDainianTomlinson "could be a process."Tomlinson is at Winter Park this afternoon meeting with Vikings officials, but Spielman refused to say that anything will get done today.
"This could be a process that could continue on and he may want to look at both options," Spielman said, referencing a report from ESPN that Tomlinson will visit the Jets on Friday if he doesn't sign in Minnesota. "He may want to weigh what's the best situation for him. We'll talk with his agent and see where he's at. Just because a guy comes in on a visit and we don't get something done today it doesn't mean that something won't get done down the road either."
Spielmantold the stationthat Vikings officials and Tomlinson "had a good conversation" Wednesday over dinner at Manny's Steakhouse in Minneapolis and that "we'll continue the conversations today."
"Iknow he'll meetwith the coaches and try to seehow he fits in and what role they want him to play and we'll just see where it goes from there," Spielmansaid.
Tomlinson made it clear Wednesday nightthat he would have noproblem taking over Chester Taylor's role as the Vikings' third-down back and playing behind Adrian Peterson.
As far as the report that Tomlinson might be headed to New York later today, Spielman said: "It's all part of the process. He may want to decide to go and explore that opportunity and see what's the best fit for him. The one thing thatwe always try to make sure ofwhen these players come in is not only is he a good fit for us but is it a good fit for the player and does he want to be here? Does he want to be a part of it? You don't want to go ahead and sign a player and force something on him and he's not totally comfortable here. Then we'renot going to get the production we need out of him if he's not comfortable coming to work."
Spielman said Tomlinson will undergo a physical with Vikings doctors but will not go through a workout.
"I have no clue," Spielman said when asked by KFAN host PaulAllenif he thoughta deal woult not be reached today. "There's no pressure to say, 'Hey, we have to get him done today,' or there's no pressure if we don't get him done then [to say], 'Oh, God, we're not going to be right at that position.' There is so much time between this time and going into the season and as you know we have done a lot of different things at different points during the offseason."