The Facts: Last year, the Vikings took a $2 million flyer on Simpson, who stayed out of trouble after serving his three-game drug suspension but wasn't healthy and finished with 26 catches. It's possible Simpson, 27, could return on another one-year deal at the right price, but he won't be a starter.

Diehards Line:So wrote 1500ESPN.com's Tom Pelissero, who noted that Adrian Peterson regularly commands a safety in the box, and the split end runs the majority of intermediate to deep patterns in Bill Musgrave's offense. "We need that big-play guy," HC Leslie Frazier said this past week. "It may not be the No. 1 need on our team, but from an offensive standpoint, if we can get that big-play guy down the field, you would think it would just open up some things for our entire offense." Career backup Devin Aromashodu, 28, is a free agent. Veteran Michael Jenkins, 30, is due a $2.425 million roster bonus and figures to be released. The only other split end on the roster is practice-squad holdover Chris Summers, who has intriguing size (6-5, 215) but hasn't appeared in an NFL game. The Vikings figure to pursue help in free agency, where Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace will be the top speed threat available. They could also turn to the draft. But apparently Simpson won't get another chance to be that front-line playmaker in Minnesota.