Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said Tuesday that he wants veteran linebacker Chad Greenway back next season, reported the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Greenway, who will turn 32 in January, has played with the Vikings for the past nine seasons and has tallied 992 total tackles. The Mount Vernon native had an injury-plagued season and is under contract next season for $7 million, which might have to be renegotiated.
Zimmer said he thinks Greenway is still good enough to start for the Vikings or other NFL teams next season, despite his injuries -- which included a broken wrist, hand and three ribs and a knee injury.
"I do," he said. "I love Chad. Chad's a good guy. You'd have to ask him, but I think even at his stage in his career, he probably learned some things this year -- and we asked him to do a lot of different things he probably hasn't done before.
"He's the kind of guy that we like to have. I don't know what's going to happen with him or anybody else. I would be the first one, if it wasn't going to work out or Chad didn't want to be here. ... I would have the first conversation of anyone. I have total respect for him."
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Despite wanting Greenway back on the field, Zimmer said he has nothing to do with the financial decisions.
