by By Sean Jensen sjensen@pioneerpress.com , St. Paul Pioneer Press

"It's really kind of a whole offseason type of study," Childress said Thursday. "I'm not going to pass judgment right at this particular point. I think with everybody here in the organization, just like we always have, (the goal) is to turn over all the rocks and see what you have there."

That Tarvaris Jackson will be a Viking is clear, yet in what capacity is not.

"You see who's out there," Childress said, "and by the same token Tarvaris is going to be here, and we're going to continue to get him better."

This season, despite boasting one of the NFL's top defenses and run offenses, the inefficiency of the Vikings' passing offense was one of the chief reasons their postseason ended Sunday in a 26-14 loss to Philadelphia. With the exception of safety Darren Sharper and center Matt Birk, the other 20 starters, as well as all three specialists, are under contract through next season. The Vikings could be primed to make a more meaningful run next season if they can get more solid play from the most important position.

Childress said he had not spoken to veteran backup Gus Frerotte, who said Wednesday that he was noncommittal about any role other than starting quarterback. But Childress reiterated that he understood Frerotte's frustration and that Frerotte is "a team guy."

While there were highs and lows for Jackson and Frerotte, the bottom line was this: Jackson was 2-4 as a starter, including the playoff loss to the Eagles, and Frerotte's passer rating of 73.7 was 28th in the NFL.

Childress said he has not had discussions with the Vikings owners about any financial restrictions to address the quarterback position. But Mark and Zygi Wilf approved two of the most aggressive -- and expensive -- moves of the past two offseasons: the signing of Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson and the trading and signing of Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen. Early indications are the Wilfs will not be discouraged about spending more money, despite revenue shortcomings, because of the team's NFC North title. In addition, the salary cap will not be a detractor because the Vikings have at least $20 million in space.

Though the draft could be rich at quarterback (Georgia junior Matthew Stafford has decided to enter the draft, and Oklahoma's Sam Bradford also might decide to go the NFL), the Vikings would be making quite a gamble on a rookie quarterback to lead them deep into the postseason. The success of Baltimore's Joe Flacco is the exception rather than the rule.

If the Vikings decide to inject new blood into the position, here is a look at some of their options:

FREE AGENCY

The candidates are not all that appealing.

There are either retreads (Kurt Warner, Kerry Collins, Jeff Garcia) or recycles (Chris Simms, J.P. Losman, Kyle Boller, Byron Leftwich, David Carr and Rex Grossman) who have been benched in the past two seasons.

The best fits might be from the 35-and-over club.

Warner, Collins and Garcia led playoff-caliber teams in 2008. Warner and Collins are not mobile, but they make quick decisions.

Garcia was one of the hottest quarterbacks in the first half of the season, leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 6-2 start. But he lost his last three starts as he battled injuries.

Warner, Collins and Garcia will be 39, 36 and 38, respectively, when the 2009 season starts, which means they would be short-term solutions.

Other veterans from the 35-and-over club who could be released from their contracts during the offseason: the Chiefs' Damon Huard, the Jets' Brett Favre and the Lions' Jon Kitna.

Favre's future once again is in doubt, as he struggled down the stretch after a strong start with the New York Jets, and Kitna has a reputation for turning the ball over (47 interceptions, 16 lost fumbles in his last 36 starts).

But Huard might be worth exploring. He was hampered with assorted injuries this past season, but he was 6-2 as a starter in 2006, with 11 touchdowns against one interception in 10 games. He is a fairly accurate passer, completing more than 60 percent of his passes in each of the past three seasons.

TRADE, ANYONE?

If the Vikings are looking long term, their best bet might be via a trade. Last year's trade for Allen showed the Vikings aren't afraid to part with picks or dollars.

A reunion of Childress and Donovan McNabb seems unlikely, as the Eagles are still one of eight teams still playing. But other veterans could be had, if the price is right.

Unfortunately, the Vikings are not popular with two teams that have quarterbacks who could be good fits in Minnesota.

The New England Patriots are the most quarterback-rich team in the league, with former MVP Tom Brady and Matt Cassel, a free agent after leading the team to an 11-5 record.

The Patriots, though, reportedly plan to place the franchise tag on Cassel, which assures the cost to another team interested in him would be steep: multiple first-day draft picks and a contract that guarantees him more than $30 million.

The prevailing thinking is the Patriots will not let him play for the franchise tender of $14 million, but they might not have much of a choice if Brady -- as rumored -- is behind schedule in his recovery from knee surgery. NBC Sports reported that Brady could begin the 2009 season on the physically unable to perform list, which means he wouldn't be eligible to play until Week 6.

The Vikings infuriated Patriots coach Bill Belichick when they claimed tight end Garrett Mills off waivers before the 2007 season. Belichick had hoped to sneak Mills onto his practice squad.

Another team of interest could be the Seattle Seahawks. They are a team in transition with a new head coach (Jim Mora Jr.), and the Seahawks might be willing to part with Matt Hasselbeck, who turns 34 in September. Hasselbeck played in only seven games this season because of injury, and he threw five touchdown passes against 10 interceptions.

Hasselbeck will be in the fifth year of a six-year, $47 million contract.

Such a move would cost the Vikings at least a second-round pick, if not more, and his base salaries for 2009 and 2010 are below $6 million. But there still might be bad blood between the two clubs after the Vikings used the infamous poison pill to restrict the Seahawks from matching their offer sheet for Hutchinson.

The Cleveland Browns also might be willing to part with one of their two quarterbacks. The presence of Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn is a luxury the Browns can ill afford, given their holes at other positions. Once new head coach Eric Mangini and their yet-to-be-determined general manager pick one, the other might be shipped off to the highest bidder. Both players have been erratic, at times.

Lastly, backups such as Matt Leinart (Arizona Cardinals), Sage Rosenfels (Houston Texans) and Chris Redman (Atlanta Falcons) have NFL starts under their belts.

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