Bryant McKinnie applauds latest Williams Wall ruling

Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie knows the importance of Friday's ruling regarding Kevin Williams and Pat Williams.

"That's great news!" he said via text message of the news that the Williams Wall would be in place for the 2010 season after Hennepin County Judge Gary Larson kept in place an injunction that protects the Vikings' defensive tackles from suspension.

With the Williamses in place along the defensive front, McKinnie feels more optimistic than ever about the upcoming season.

"Of course! We pretty much have our team back in full," he texted.

He's right. On offense and defense, 21 of the 22 starters are under contract. Defensive end Ray Edwards is the lone exception, and he's a restricted free agent who's expected to sign at some point during this offseason.

Now the biggest question facing the Vikings is the future of quarterback Brett Favre, who reportedly had surgery Friday on his injured left ankle and should be ready to play when the regular season starts.

He certainly has plenty of incentive, starting with a rematch of last season's NFC championship game at New Orleans, scheduled for Sept. 9.

The Williamses will be on the field for that game, as well as Saints defensive end Will Smith, who tested positive for the same banned diuretic as the Vikings' defensive tackles in 2008. The NFL has avoided suspending Smith while the Williamses' lawsuit against the league is decided.

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(twincities.com)