The Minnesota Vikings held their first practice of training camp this morning – without the presence of their first- and second-round draft picks. WR Sidney Rice, as far as we know, remains close to signing – which is where he’s been for several weeks seemingly. Adrian Peterson would seem closer to signing now that numerous first-rounders have been inked, including the two guys picked right after him and a couple picked several slots before him. All this contract-fretting will soon come to an end I assume – by next week AP should be in camp, and we can commence fretting about his collarbone.
The Star-Trib’s Judd Zulgad was nice enough to post a full first-practice run-down on his Access Vikings blog (Legit journalists blogging? Get off our turf, man.). Apparently, there were a couple of day-one scuffles during pass-rush drills – one between RB Chester Taylor and LB Vinnie Ciurciu, and another between RB Mewelde Moore and LB Jason Glenn. Mewelde getting feisty in a blocking drill? As long as he’s making contact of any kind, that’s a sign of improvement.
Zulgad also reports on what may or may not be an ominous sign for the receiving corps – Troy Williamson dropping the first pass thrown to him on the day, even though it was right in his hands. You mean he learned nothing from the 600,000 balls George Stewart shot at him this off-season? Hmm…maybe his hands are still raw from all those catches. Or maybe the guy just plain sucks.
All right – so Judd says Williamson recovered after the initial drop and had a good day. Well, that’s a relief…
And what about the QBs, you may be asking? Tarvaris Jackson took all the first-team reps and Brooks Bollinger most of the second-team ones (while Drew Henson practiced his knuckler off to the side – hell, if it can work for Tim Wakefield…). Brad Childress has said Brooks will get some work with the first-teamers however. Is a quarterback controversy brewing in Viking camp? Let’s hope so – I need the material.
One final thing – Chad Greenway took the practice field for the first time as Will linebacker, and did not at any point drop to the turf in agony. We’re rollin’, baby…