The Vikings wined and dined free-agent offensive tackle Andre Smith on Sunday night, taking him to their usual spot, Manny’s Steakhouse downtown. And on Monday, they gave him a tour of Winter Park and showed him how U.S. Bank Stadium is shaping up.
But they couldn’t convince Smith to sign a contract before he left Minnesota.
Smith could still end up agreeing to join the Vikings. But he plans to visit Arizona first. Tampa Bay is reportedly interested in him, too.
Even after landing free-agent guard Alex Boone last week, re-signing guard Mike Harris and keeping tackles Matt Kalil and Phil Loadholt around, the Vikings still are looking to improve the talent level and foster fiercer competition on the offensive line.