AP and Harvin racing for rehab | Credit: KFAN

Adrian Peterson has rehab partner: Percy Harvin returned to Minnesota for off-season workouts, but is still rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery.  According to reporters in attendance, Percy and Adrian were racing off to the side on an incline hill.

“We’re just competing, trying to make each other better,” Harvin said. “I think the first couple I won. AP kind of smiled and said, ‘You know I’m trying to beat you.’ I said, ‘I wouldn’t want it (any)other way.’”

Harvin tried to convince the Vikings coaching staff to let him take part in Tuesday’s practice, but the wide receiver was told that wasn’t going to happen. “I’m hoping the next week or two, definitely,” Harvin said when asked about his return. “I’m pushing forward for the next few days. Hopefully next week, early week, I should know a little something more.”

Percy Harvin is thrilled to have another WR-threat on the team — I sense a new friendship blooming:

“I love what I’m seeing right now but, of course, this is nothing but practice,” Harvin said. “We don’t have real defenders out here, we don’t even have on pads yet. But as far as running drills, Jerome Simpson looks very smooth. His speed is very deceptive.

“I think him and Adrian, before I got here, they were arguing. I think Jerome got AP a couple of times in a race. He can move. We have a lot of pieces that I think we’ve plugged in but we’ll have to wait until game day.”

“I can’t wait until he gets back so I can see some of that speed everybody’s been talking about,” Simpson said of Harvin. “We talked earlier. He asked me if I was running X yet. He said ‘You’re going to get a lot of opportunities there and we’re going to make some plays happen.’”

As of now, no competition for rookie kicker: Following the release of kicker Ryan Longwell, Leslie Frazier said there currently is no plan of bringing in competition for Blair Walsh.

“It feels awesome coming here and getting a vote of confidence from the Vikings,” Walsh said after the conclusion of the team’s second day of Organized Team Activities on Wednesday at Winter Park.

CB Asher Allen retires: Three year veteran Asher Allen informed the Vikings last week he was going to hang up his cleats at the age of 24.  Allen was a third-round pick in 2009.  According to Frazier, Allen made no mention of retiring from health reasons.  With the news of head trauma plaguing retired NFL players it is worth noting Allen has suffered two concussions within his 3 year career.

“I didn’t see that coming,” Frazier said. “But everybody has to make the decisions they think are best for them.”

Highlights:

• LB Chad Greenway (family situation) and DE Jared Allen were the only two Vikings not in attendance, via Judd Zulgad
• DT Kevin Williams, 31, stated he wishes to end his career with the Vikings, via Pioneer Press

“I would love to finish here,” Williams said Wednesday, May 30, at the Vikings’ organized team activities.  ”I’m just excited for this year to be a clean slate and keep rolling. It’s a blessing to be anywhere nine-plus years.”

• DL Christian Ballard, who enters his second year in the league, will move inside to defensive tackle to backup Williams with more opportunity to play, via The Gazette

“I played (defensive tackle) my whole junior year and about mixed my senior year,” Ballard said. “I played a little more end, but I think my athleticism and just Kevin being a great teacher has helped me learn a little more. I haven’t played it that much during my career, but Coach (Brendan) Daly is here, Kevin is here, there’s a lot of good tackles here that are good role models and they’re teaching me a lot.”

• Vikings roster is at 88 players.  The Vikings will be eligible to bring two others players with them to training camp (max. 90 players).
• Although rookies OT Matt Kalil, S Harrison Smith, and CB Josh Robinson have not signed a contract, they were in attendance at Winter Park for practice.

What the players are saying about day 1 and 2 of OTAs: