Vikings expect Williams to return

Judd reported last weekend that the Vikings expect veteran nose tackle Pat Williams to return for his 14^th season and his agent confirmed that. That really comes as no surprise even though Williams said after the season that it was 50-50 whether he would return.

Williams' agent Angelo Wright said his client was never seriously thinking about retiring with a year left on his contract. Williams sounded more like a veteran who was emotionally and physically tired after a long season than a guy who was ready to walk away completely. Wright spent time with Williams in Dallas last weekend and said his client feels good. "He was fatigued and tired and coming off an exasperating loss," Wright said. "I think anybody would say anything at that point. But he's doing good right now. He had a slow start to the season but he came back and played at a very high level. The Vikings do a very good job with the way they use him and I think he can be effective for several more seasons." Rick Spielman, vice president of player personnel, confirmed that Williams will be back for his 14^th season when Judd talked to him at the Arctic Blast event last weekend. "We are so early in the offseason yet, but we are anticipating all of our players being back," Spielman said. "Now Pat had injured his elbow toward the season of the season, missed a [game], but played very well in the Dallas game. He played excellent in the New Orleans game. So right now as far as we know Pat Williams is going to be back and be a Minnesota Viking next year."