ESPN.com: NFL - Anderson agrees in principle to deal with Vikes

Twenty-year veteran kicker Gary Anderson has agreed in principle to a contract with the Minnesota Vikings and the deal returning him to the club with which he played the past four seasons should be finalized on Tuesday afternoon or evening. The one-year contract is for $661,764, the prorated share of the veteran minimum base salary of $750,000.

League sources said there should be no last-minute glitches to preclude the agreement from being consummated.

Minnesota turned to Anderson on Sunday evening after Doug Brien missed two extra points in an overtime defeat. It is believed that Brien, who signed with Minnesota this spring as an unrestricted free agent, will be retained to handle the kickoff chores. Anderson has never been strong on kickoffs and that has been especially true in recent seasons.

Anderson, 43, had inquiries from several clubs during the spring, after the Vikings opted against re-signing him. But he made it clear that, with his young sons in school in Minneapolis, he would not uproot them, and the only team with which he would sign was the Vikings.

In his stints with Pittsburgh (1982-1994), Philadelphia (1995-96), San Francisco (1997) and Minnesota (1998-2001), Anderson has converted 476 of 596 field goal attempts and 705 of 711 extra point tries. His total of 2,133 points is 77 more than runner-up Morten Andersen, who is kicking this year for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Brien was nearly cut before the start of the season, after missing four of five field goal tries in preseason. Coach Mike Tice auditioned four kickers, but he decided to stick with Brien, who responded by converting five of his six field goal attempts. The two missed extra points in Sunday's overtime loss to Buffalo, however, precipitated a change.

Anderson has been diligently working out during his hiatus and expects to have little trouble getting immediately back into a rhythm.