FanHouse AnthonyHerrera

Now that Matt Birk has chosen the Ravens, Minnesota has to move on to Plan B. But the good news is that this is a very good year to be trying to replace a center.

The Vikings had been planning for the possibility of losing Birk since before the 2008 season. They already have 2008 sixth-round pick John Sullivan as a potential replacement and theoretically guard Anthony Herrera could also slide over and play center, but if the Vikings want to bring in some competition, the 2009 draft class is one of the best classes for centers in years.

In the Sporting News Top 99 draft prospects (released today at Sporting News Today), four centers are listed among the Top 99 prospects and ESPN has three centers in the top 65 on its board. If the Vikings aren't completely comfortable with Sullivan, they could snag another center in the draft and use it to not only give Sullivan competition, but in the case of a prospect like Max Unger or Eric Wood, it could also give them some improved depth at guard, and in Unger's case, tackle as well.

Minnesota Vikings guard Anthony Herrera, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, was sworn in as a United States citizen on March 26. But he almost didn't get to his swearing-in ceremony, and he needed Vikings coach Brad Childress to lead him there.

Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that when Herrera told Childress that he needed to leave the team's practice facility so he could go to the ceremony, Childress invited himself to come along. Herrera led the way, but they took a wrong turn, so Childress called an audible:

"We got lost," Childress said. "I knew Anthony had messed something up when we pulled into this neighborhood and he turned around. We were sitting there when I decided to plug the directions into my Navigator. A different route came up, so I said, 'OK, you follow me.' "

They got to the ceremony in time for Herrera to get sworn in and for Childress to hear from Chinese and Somali immigrants who told him what big Vikings fans they were. Congratulations to Herrera on a big accomplishment, and kudos to Childress for the assist.

Just a couple of months ago Anthony Herrera was a backup guard, now he's a very, very wealthy man.

The Vikings have locked up Herrera for five years with a $13.5 million deal that means the Vikings now have four members of the offensive line locked up into the next decade. Herrera may not be Steve Hutchinson, but he has played pretty well since the Vikings turned to him before the Bears game. Since then Adrian Peterson has had a pair of 200 yard games and Chester Taylor has just put together a three-touchdown, 150+ yard day. And these days $3 million a year for a starting guard is a big bargain.

The Vikings rank No. 1 in the league in yards per carry on runs up the middle, which is party to the credit of Herrera as well.

The Vikings have put together the offensive line to be a Super Bowl champion. They have the running backs to make a run to a title and the defense isn't that far away, even if Minnesota struggles against the pass. It might not be a season to remember in 2007, but signing Herrera helps put together what should be a very good team in 2009, if the Vikes can find a quarterback.

Adrian Peterson is already the league's best running back and he's single-handedly making what would be a very boring Vikings season interesting. But after rewatching Sunday's game (thanks DirecTV shortcuts) it's also very apparent that the Vikings offensive line should also be talked about among the game's elite.

Considering the money the Vikings have spent on the line, there is some argument that the Vikings better have an outstanding line. But against a still very solid Chargers defense, the Vikings were getting good return on their dollar.

Even more than the blocks that helped spring Adrian Peterson's long runs, it was most impressive to watch the surge on goal line plays. On the play that set up Peterson's first touchdown all five Vikings offensive linemen drove their man back at least three yards. When you consider that the Chargers were in a goal line formation, it was an amazing performance by the Vikings line.