• Here is a crowd pleaser to start off with.  While the Vikings are surely going to try out a number of combinations in the secondary throughout camp, Asher Allen practiced with the first defense on Friday.  He was behind Antoine Winfield and Lito Sheppard.
• By all accounts, Pat Williams could be in for a great year since he is reportedly in the best shape we’ve seen out of him since his days in Buffalo.  “Pat’s big enough to eat hay and (expletive) in the street.  I’m not sure how he lost those 18 pounds, but I’m happy he did,” said Brad Childress.
• During 11-on-11 team drills, Tarvaris Jackson went 5 for 6 with the first offense.  Sage Rosenfels was re-awarded his spot with the second offense and went 2 for 2.  Joe Webb went  for one with the third offense.
• It is interesting that Webb has fallen back to being behind Rosenfels after he stole all of Sage’s reps during minicamp.  There is some speculation out there that the Vikings may be trying to showcase Rosenfels with hopes of drawing trade offers.
• “It’s Brett,” Jared Allen said when asked about all the drama. “That’s all you have to say — it’s Brett. Twenty years in. If I make it 20 years in, I’m not coming to training camp either. So, you know what? It’s Brett. We’ll see you in a couple weeks, baby.”
• Judd Zulgad asked Childress where Rice’s hip was at.  He told him it was on the side of his body.  Boom!
• Both Jasper Brinkley and Jamarca Sanford got some work with the first team defense.  Madieu Williams, Tyrell Johnson, and EJ Henderson were clearly the starters, however.
• Jaymar Johnson beat out Chris Cook and Hussain Abdullah and snagged a twenty five yard pass from Joe Webb.
• Toby Gerhart was working with the second team offense, but Albert Young was right there with him and then some.
• Greenway showed off his range in pass defense.
• Work ethic can go a long ways towards having a fine NFL career, which is why it should be noted that the last guy off the field today was rookie tight end Mickey Shuler.
• Joe Webb also had to be on the kickoff coverage unit on his first day of camp.
• Marcus Sherels, Percy Harvin, and Lito Sheppard were seen returning punts.
• Eric Bieniemy seems to be on top of this whole “ball security is a theme” thing that has been spurned from Peterson’s issues in that area.  Today, running backs ran with a football that was attached to a rope.  The other end of the rope was tugged on by other players to try and rip it free.  Interesting stuff.
• Ray Small was noted for having great speed, but apparently struggled to make catches which will not earn him any points with the coaching staff.
• Greg Lewis was used as the third receiver, given that Sidney Rice was sidelined.
• By all appearances, Erin Henderson is the top backup player at outside linebacker.
• Letroy Guion was working with the second team and appeared to be ahead of Fred Evans.
• Percy Harvin was lined up in the backfield for one snap.

Marko Mitchell has been assigned number 19 in case you care about such things.

However, no analyst has been able to mention the name “Adrian Peterson” without the obligatory mention of the word “fumble” following it up.

And Peterson knows it.  He says he avoided NFL Network and ESPN like the plague because of it.

He will now be tasked with fixing those mistakes, and Peterson seems to think it is simply a matter of the mind.

“What I came up with is, it’s all mental,” Peterson said.  “Just basically, it’s that simple. It’s mentally being aware at all times of my surroundings, knowing that guys are definitely throwing those extra punches to knock it out at all times. So, it’s mentally knowing that I have it high and tight at all times.”

“When I was holding it low,” Peterson said, “giving those guys that space to be able to punch up and knock the ball out at times — bring it up high, keep it high and tight. Being back the way it’s taught and the way you’re supposed to carry the ball. It’s pretty simple.”

While Peterson terming his fumbling habits as “simple” won’t ease the pain that still lingers from the NFC Championship game, it is encouraging to know that Peterson is at least thinking of it as a problem that needs fixing.

“It’s an ongoing process,” coach Brad Childress said. “We can’t really play with pads until we get out here (Saturday) morning. Those are points of emphasis. (Running backs coach) Eric Bieniemy tore that issue apart forward and backward. He looked at carries and if it was for extra carries.

“I don’t want to change the way (Peterson) runs with the football. You can’t play that position and be cautious. He is a violent, reckless running back. In football, sometimes the ball comes loose. Do I like it? No. Am I going to tolerate it? No. We are going to emphasize it, and usually, you achieve what you emphasize.”

Perhaps by saying the Vikings will not tolerate fumbles in a year in which Peterson is certainly going to expect a contract extension to be in the works will be enough motivation to fix the problem all on its own.

Rice apparently was told he should have had surgery on his hip, but that it was absolutely needed.

“Couple of guys thought I should have had it, but didn’t need it necessarily,” Rice said. “So, the plan now is just to rehab and get everything back like it’s supposed to be.”

“I’m not ready for it,” Rice said of practicing full speed.

“Why it is lingering? Because it’s still uncomfortable for him,” Childress said before practice. “He was seen by not only our doctors but a couple of different specialists, and we decided we didn’t want to be as aggressive as you could be — in other words, surgical procedure.

“I think he’ll be OK. I may stand corrected on that. But that’s what the doctors wanted to do with it,” continued Childress.

These statements suggest that perhaps the Vikings are regretting not getting Rice to have the surgery after the injury reappeared during minicamp.  Especially since the surgery would have been likely to have fully healed right about now, the beginning of camp.  At the very worst, he would have rejoined the team drills about two weeks from now.

Now, it looks like Rice will not rejoin the team until one to two weeks from now.

Rice doesn’t seem to think it was a mistake to pass on the surgery.  “Nah. I’ll be fine,” said Rice.  “I’ll be fine. We’ve still got time before the season starts up. … We’re going to take it day to day and rehab, try to strengthen everything, and hopefully, everything will be fine.”

Rice joins starting cornerback Cedric Griffin as the only two players on the PUP list.  While Rice was a surprise, Griffin was not.  Griffin tore his ACL during the overtime kickoff against the Saints in the NFC Championship game.

One player that was expected to start camp on the PUP list, and at one point had people questioning if he’d ever play in the NFL again, is starting middle linebacker E.J. Henderson.  Henderson has had a somewhat miraculous recovery from his gruesome broken femur.

The fact that Henderson was able to participate in 7-on-7 drills today speaks volumes to his toughness.

“I don’t really notice it,” Henderson said of the healing leg, which includes a titanium rod. “Maybe a little bit warming up, just to get it warm, but I don’t really notice it at all.”

Chris Cook (pick 34):  4-years, $5.37M ($3.3M guaranteed)

Toby Gerhart (pick 51):  4-years, $3.767M ($1.939M guaranteed)

Everson Griffen (pick 100):  4-years, $2.33M ($540,000 signing bonus)

Chris DeGeare (pick 161):  4-years, $1.954M ($164,800 signing bonus)

Nathan Triplett (pick 167):  4-years, $1.94M ($152,213 signing bonus)

Joe Webb (pick 199):  4-years, $1.882M ($92,515 signing bonus)

Mickey Shuler (pick 214):  4-years, $1.85M ($62,730 signing bonus)

Ryan D’Imperio (pick 237):  4-years, $1.837M ($47,150 signing bonus)

It will take a long time before the rare inter-division trade that the Vikings and Lions agreed to on draft day to be fully evaluated.  Before Jahvid Best and Chris Cook even take the field, however, it is interesting to note the financial difference that the Vikings gained by moving backwards a mere four spots to pick up Chris Cook.

Jahvid Best signed a five year deal worth $9.8 million, or $1.96 million per year.  In comparison, Chris Cook will make $1.343 million per year on average. 

Finances don’t matter to fans as much as normal this year, with the absence of a cap and all, but the financial difference is worth noting in case the cap does return.

Okay, actually it’s a bunch of crows that sound like they’re holding a 7-on-7 scrimmage on my roof (yup, they can get that loud) but they still have just as annoying of an effect.

Maybe that is why I’m so willing to eat crow from time to time by making predictions that almost certainly will turn out completely wrong.  Afterall, revenge makes everything taste a little sweeter, even when you are being forced to eat a healthy portion of crow.

So, here are ten predictions that I am making on the evening of 2010 Minnesota Vikings Training Camp, live… from my roof.

10.  Let’s Get This Out Of The Way

Favre is coming back, but not until after the Vikings move camp to Winter Park.  I know this isn’t much of a prediction, so I’ll take it a step further.

I think Joe Webb sticks to the roster as a quarterback.  Who leaves?  Well, that would be none other than Sage Rosenfels.

9.  Punt Return Drills Will Be Important

Every year, a handful of players will be handpicked to participate in special teams drills with hopes of making their most realistic bid for a roster spot in that area.

With Percy Harvin almost certainly slated to return kicks again this year, the punt return job is the one to keep an eye on, and it may have a bigger impact than you think.

I see no reason to believe that Darius Reynaud did anything in 2009 to suggest he should lose the job.  He was solid and consistent, averaging 10.3 yards per return.  While he has some dangerous moves in the open field, he never took one to the house, and there are those three fumbles.

Reynaud’s current status as the team’s top punt returner, however, is his best chance to make the roster.  In an offseason that will give the Vikings plenty of tough decisions, Reynaud’s versatility, including his ability to play running back and wide out, give him the inside track over other players.

Think about this scenario, however.  Undrafted rookie Ray Small proves himself as an incredible return man as he was in college and Reynaud loses the job.  Does this open the door for someone else to make the roster as a running back, like Ryan Moats or Albert Young?  Would it open the door for a guy like Marko Mitchell to make the roster as a wide out?

I’m not saying that Reynaud will or will not win the punt return job, but that battle has enough effect on the roster that we should pay a little more attention to it than normal.

8.  The D-Line Is Set

As with most of my predictions, this all changes if there is an unforeseen injury or suspension.

With that being said, I think the Vikings defensive line will consist of Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, Ray Edwards, Brian Robison, Everson Griffen, Jimmy Kennedy, and Fred Evans.

I’d be greatly surprised if, when the season rolls around, it isn’t these eight guys (and only these eight guys) that are on the roster.

It looks like the StarCaps Case won’t leave us without the WilliamsWall.  Robison is versatile enough to play on the inside during passing downs.  The competition just isn’t there to bump any of them off, and with the Vikings looking to keep two kickers this season there is one less roster spot.

Etch it in stone, this competition is already over.

7.  Safeties Will Fight It Out To The End

Many fans were calling for rookie Jamarca Sanford to crack the starting lineup by the end of 2009, a season which featured a good dose of questionable safety play.  Some think he will make a serious case for being a starter at the beginning of 2010, and he probably will.

However, don’t expect Tyrell Johnson and Madieu Williams to go down without a fight.

It has gone by somewhat unnoticed, but perhaps no players have been working harder this offseason than the current starting safeties.  Williams and Johnson were the only starters to participate in every offseason activity held by the team. 

They also participated in Larry Fitzgerald’s camp, which I can only imagine pitted them against many of the best NFL receivers.

I think this will be one of the best training camp battles.  Three guys vying for two spots.  Nice.

My prediction is that we won’t know which two are our starters until the season starts.  I expect the Vikings to pick up where they left off, rotating the three around giving looks to each of them and watching very closely. 

By design, the Vikings will keep that competition as heated as possible by not committing to any of them until after the final preseason game… and possibly well into the season.

6.  Cook Has To Earn His Keep

As the Vikings top draft choice, cornerback Chris Cook is sure to be the subject of many articles as camp progresses.  However, unless he somehow impresses in a big, big way… he’ll be at the bottom of the depth chart.

It isn’t anything to be ashamed of, as rookie corners seldom crack the starting lineup no matter when they were drafted, but I am not expecting any fireworks out of Cook. 

Assuming Cedric Griffin remains out with injury, I believe the starting the top four spots will belong to Antoine Winfield, Lito Sheppard, Asher Allen, and Benny Sapp.  I fully expect an intricate formula to dictate a rotation that will make it difficult to label any corner other than Winfield a “starter.”  While I expect Cook to get rotated into the game from time to time, I really suspect he’ll be fifth on the depth chart and we’ll be seeing a lot of him during training camp and very little of him in the first half of this season.

5.  Selected Late Round Rooks Will Contribute

I think offensive lineman Chris DeGeare, tight end Mickey Shuler, and quarterback Joe Webb will turn enough heads in training camp to earn a roster spot.  Webb is practically a guarantee in my mind, because he has already shown enough potential to warrant a spot on the 53-man roster, but there will be no reservations about making him inactive as the third quarterback on game day.

I don’t think linebacker Nate Triplett will make the cut, especially if E.J. Henderson makes it back on the field sometime soon, and the Vikings will have spent a fifth round pick on a practice squad player.

Also, while Fahu Tahi gets a lot of criticism, I highly doubt that a seventh round linebacker that hasn’t played fullback in years can outperform a guy that has made a career out of being a starting fullback.  Ryan D’imperio has the odds stacked fully against him.

Both Triplett and D’Imperio will have to be outstanding special teams players if they want to make the roster, but otherwise seem like practice squad guys to me.

4.  Peterson Will Have His Work Cut Out For Him

It never hurts to make the defense practice a little more at stripping the ball from a ball carrier.

Our starting running back needs to stop fumbling the ball.

To design drills in which the defense’s top priority is to cause Peterson to fumble could really only benefit the team on both sides of the ball.  It would give the defense some added experience in swatting and tearing at the football, while giving Peterson some practice at keeping that ball from hitting the ground under tough circumstances.

If the Vikings don’t work this strategy into training camp, I’ll be disappointed as it would be a missed opportunity to improve in all phases of the game.

3.  No Help Is On The Way Anytime Soon

Every year, camp casualties can become the good fortune of another team.  This isn’t “every year” though, as this is an uncapped year and I suspect that will result in less camp/cap casualties than we are used to.

The Vikings won’t stop looking for ways to improve their roster, but I just don’t think the opportunities will be there this preseason. 

Despite rumblings of Kelley Washington, Albert Haynesworth, or Brian Westbrook, I just don’t see the Vikings adding anyone to a team that is already going to be forced to send plenty of young talent out the door when cuts roll around.

2.  Vikes Keep Two To Kick

I have to admit that I was surprised when the Vikings first free agent signing was a kicker. 

However, I think kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd will make the roster, will make the gameday actives on a regular basis, and will make an impact.  His ability to boot kickoffs into the endzone or beyond will prove to be a barely noticeable, but extremely important, tool as the season pits the Vikes against a number of the league’s most dangerous returners.

Ryan Longwell thinks that Lloyd’s presence will negatively affect his field goal accuracy, as kicking off acts as extra repetitions to gauge the wind.  Whether or not this ends up being true is a matter of debate, but I am confident that Longwell is going to have to deal with it because Lloyd isn’t going anywhere.

1.  There Will Be Trash Talk Galore

You know that old saying, “you only focus on your next opponent?”  This will hold true, even through training camp, for the Vikings.

In the first season since 1998, I think the Packers may not be the most hated team by Vikings players.  Without a doubt, the Vikings want revenge against their week one opponents, the New Orleans Saints.

And they’ll talk about it.

With guys like Pat Williams, Jared Allen, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Ray Edwards on the squad I have little doubt that we are going to see a theme of attitude and confidence throughout camp.

This is sure to only stoke the fire that is the most anticipated Vikings season in over a decade.

• Has Deanna Favre inadvertently confirmed what we already know?
• No updates since July 4^th?  I don’t know how they “celebrate” that holiday across the pond, but I miss the British wit… especially in reference to our favorite team.  Get back to work or we’ll steal the rest of your sitcoms, too!
• There could be some benefit to signing Kelley Washington.
• Three questions about the status of the Vikings pass catchers.
• Some of you hoped to see the Vikings sign veteran guard Chester Pitts, but that isn’t going to happen now.
• If they still have fully functioning legs in two years, Chris Johnson thinks he and Adrian Peterson should pull a LeBron type stunt.
• Maybe if he all stop hoping for a Super Bowl… the Vikings will win the Super Bowl.  Maybe.
• PFF’s most recent power rankings suggest it is “now or never” for the Vikings.  They also suggest that Steve Hutchinson is overrated in the newest Madden game.
• If Steve Smith can get ridiculed for playing flag football in the offseason, then maybe Jared Allen should be released.  Actually, judging from this picture, he is quite possibly the coolest person ever.  (WARNING:  There is one bad word in this one from PJD)
• This is a link to Viking Age’s main page, who has been working hard to preview the entire roster prior to training camp.  Just scroll down, read what he has to say, and then come back here and leave me comments showing that if I wasn’t such a slacker I would have done the same thing.
• Favre skipping (part of) training camp is not unprecedented, as John Holler answers my “Weekend Discussion” questions from last weekend.
• Pro Football Weekly has an interesting cover picture this month.
• The Vikings training staff, Eric Sugarman specifically, are known as NFL pioneers on the front of concussion prevention.  This article further proves that they leave no stones unturned to prevent player injury. 
• Sidney Rice has a hip flexor and says he isn’t 100% and isn’t sure how much he’ll be allowed to participate in camp.
• They say if you exercise your dog a lot then the dog will stay out of trouble.  Apparently the same rule of thumb applies to NFL players.
• No shocker here, but as players report for camp none seem concerned about the absence of Favre.
• Apparently Pat Williams has lost a bunch of weight (please, please, please tell me he didn’t use StarCaps to do it) and all seem to be in agreement that he looks darn good.
• The Vikings have yet to make a decision on whether or not E.J. Henderson can fully participate in training camp, but all indications are that he’s recovering incredibly well from his 2009 injury.  Also, Chris Cook’s hamstring appears to be a non-issue.
• Kevin Seifert seems to think Sidney Rice’s hip injury could be a bigger deal than any of us currently think.
• Apparently Brett Favre first three bullets of 2010 were off the mark.  This story is pretty funny, actually.
• Continuity is a big deal in the NFL, and the Vikings have quite a bit of it.
• Here are a bunch of good player quotes in regards to training camp.  My favorite quote comes from Pat Williams:  “It’s time to finish it.”

Meanwhile, Brad Childress has a message for Toby Gerhart who is the Vikings last rookie to reach an agreement with the team.

“He needs to get his tail signed,” Coach Brad Childress said on Sirius NFL Radio. “He needs to get down here and not miss a snap.”

According to reports, Cook signed a four year deal on Thrusday and as of right now financial terms are unknown.

Toby Gerhart remains the only Viking in need of a contract.  That should happen today or tomorrow morning.

Also, players drafted on either side of cornerback Chris Cook have reached agreements.  The Rams paid Roger Saffold a contract worth $6.3 million ahead of the Vikings and behind them the Bucs paid defensive tackle Brian Price $5.32 million.  Both are four year contracts.  This would suggest that Chris Cook’s contract will likely come in at about $5.81 million with about $3.725 million in guaranteed money.

Neither player in front of or behind Toby Gerhart has signed a contract, so it is likely that Gerhart’s contract takes longer to get done than Cook’s.  Team and agents alike often use the slotting process as a beginning point for negotiations. 

The Vikings have shown a willingness in the past to simply wait until a floor and a ceiling have been set before agreeing to terms with a rookie, even if it means the negotiations come down to the wire or even eat into the opening days of training camp.

The Vikings have all the power, in my opinion, in dealing with their two remaining rookies.  Both Cook and Gerhart face stiff competition at their respective positions and need all the reps they can get to prove that they belong on the field or in the starting lineup come September.

If they can’t get the reps then they can’t win over the coaches, which means they can’t get on the field much, which means they can’t reach those incentives they negotiated for in the first place.  Bottom line?  These guys know that and their contracts will probably both be signed by this time on Friday.

(UPDATE:  Just as I posted this the Chiefs signed Javier Arenas to a four year deal.  While financial terms have not yet been disclosed, this will effectively set a ceiling for Gerhart’s contract.)

Well, you can forget everything you learned now.

As of Sunday, the Vikings and the other teams subject to the “Final Four Plan” are no longer required to abide by the rules they were previously made to follow.

Of course, it doesn’t do these teams much good since there are hardly any unrestricted free agents available at this point.  The expiration of the rule, however, is what allowed the Jets to make a run at Terrell Owens.