Childs has surgery: Vikings rookie WR Greg Childs tore both patella tendons in each of his knees during Saturday night’s practice.  On Monday, Childs underwent surgery to repair the torn ligaments.

Though distraught, Childs had a clear message for Frazier shortly after the injury: “Coach, I’ll be back.”

Childs is no stranger to a patella tendon tear, though.  During his junior year of college at Arkansas, Childs tore his right patella tendon.  He noted that on the field he was slowed upon returning his senior season, but with upside, the Vikings took Childs in the fourth round.

The Vikings also placed Childs on injury waivers.

All rookies and non-vested veterans must clear injury waivers before going to IR before cuts begin. So, another team could claim Childs, but that’s a long shot given the nature of his injury.

To take Childs’ roster spot, the Vikings re-signed A.J. Love.  The Vikings will keep their eye on potential wide receivers they can add to their roster, but no, I don’t think one of their options includes Terrell Owens.

AP remains on PUP list, plus arrest update: Adrian Peterson will remain on the PUP list this week and continue his rehab for his knee.

Coach Leslie Frazier told reporters Monday that “I don’t anticipate us doing anything different than what we did a week ago with him.”

» Continue reading “Vikings News Bulletin: August 6″

Childs carted off the field

Greg Childs, a WR who was drafted in the fourth round, had his rookie season ended before it even started.

During the Vikings night practice on Saturday, Childs jumped for a ball and landed in agony.

Last night both knees were swollen and the Vikings feared he had done significant damage to both, according to 1500ESPN. A MRI confirmed Childs had tore his patella tendon in BOTH knees.

Childs fell to the fourth round after tearing his partella tendon in his right knee during his junior season.  He had noted that he came back too early during his senior season, which slowed him on the field.

Greg Childs injury is a blow to the Vikings offense.  Childs was one of the WR who was  likely to step up during Jerome Simpson’s three game suspension to start the season.

Newcomer Jerome Simpson pushes Percy Harvin: Percy Harvin was far and beyond the Vikings best wide receiver last season.  Although Harvin is still likely the number one receiver, Jerome Simpson has the ability to push Harvin to be better.

“It’s been great to have Jerome here,” Ponder said Thursday, Aug. 2. “He’s been pushing Percy a little bit. I think Percy’s been a lot better. It’s almost like a competition to see who’s the better receiver. They’ve got a great relationship. They’re hanging out a lot off the field. They both look good. It’s exciting.”

Greg Childs with the play of the day on offense: “With the second unit offense and defense on the field, Childs’ 26-yard touchdown catch from Joe Webb came on a play during which cornerback Brandon Burton had near-perfect coverage..Childs leaped, reached both arms around Burton and managed to pin the ball on the cornerback’s back long enough to haul it in,” as described by Dan Wiedner.

Added head coach Leslie Frazier: “That was a nice play. We saw him do that in college as well. That was a real nice play. Great concentration. That’s what we need. We need a guy to make that hard catch for us even when he’s covered. That’s good to see.”

Chris Cook the standout on defense: Cook stood out on 11-on-11 drills where he intercepted Christian Ponder on a pass intended for Percy Harvin.  Then in drill work, Cook picked off a Sage Rosenfels pass for Jarius Wright.

» Continue reading “Vikings Training Camp News Bulletin: August 2nd”

Training camp starts on Thursday for the Minnesota Vikings and one area of improvement for the 2012 must be the passing game.

Percy Harvin

With Adrian Peterson injured, Percy Harvin become the Vikings biggest threat on offensive.  He requested a trade but the Vikings declined any interest of doing such action.

“The Minnesota Vikings have no interest at all in trading Percy Harvin,” said GM Rick Spielman. “We drafted Percy Harvin here. He’s a key part of our organization, he’s a key part of our football team and any issues that are out there or reported, we always handle those internally and we’ll continue to handle those internally.”

It seems like the issues between the Vikings and Harvin has been worked out and he will report to training camp on Thursday.

2011 stats:

• 87 receptions — 967 yards — 11.1 yards/catch
• 6 receiving touchdowns
• 52 rushing attempts — 345 yards — 6.6 yards/rush
• 2 rushing touchdowns — 2 fumbles

Credit: Aj Mansour (KFAN)

Ponder earns VCF Rookie of the Year Award: The Vikings honored QB Christian Ponder on Wednesday with their first Vikings’ Children Fund Rookie of the Year award.  A $5,000 donation will also be made in Ponder’s name to the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital, according to Vikings.com.

“Christian showed great poise and leadership during his rookie season,” said Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier. “His presence in the locker room and his willingness to help teammates speaks to his character.”

“I’m honored to receive this award and hope to build a strong tradition of young players being involved in the community,” Ponder said. “As players we have the chance to make a difference in the lives of kids and families. I hope next year’s winner is as humbled by this as I am.”

The Vikings VCF Rookie of the Year award will be presented each year to a rookie from the previous season who best represented himself and the Vikings organization on and off the field.

Veteran players remain M.I.A. in voluntary workouts: Since being able to partake in his first practice since shoulder surgery, Vikings WR Percy Harvin hasn’t shown up for the past three practices.  CB Antoine Winfield and DE Jared Allen have also elected to not participate in the voluntary sessions.  RB Adrian Peterson is said to be continuing his knee rehab in Houston.  Middle LB Jasper Brinkley, who is assumed to take over the starting position after Vikings chose not to re-sign E.J. Henderson, has been out since last week following a groin strain while attempting to break-up a pass.   One positive note on the health side: WR Greg Childs,who had an injury-plagued college career, was back in action this week.  Childs has been out since suffering a calf strain at Rookie camp.

» Continue reading “Catching Up On Vikings Headlines From The Week So Far”

Credit: Aj Mansour (KFAN)

Jerome Simpson impressive catch: New Vikings WR Jerome Simpson turned heads with an impressive “circus” catch over CB Chris Cook during an 11-on-11 drill.  Although Simpson will sit out the Vikings first three games of the season due to a suspension, he is becoming a go-to receiver in practice for QB Christian Ponder, who lacked a deep threat during his rookie season. Video of the catch.

“Christian just threw a great ball,” Simpson said. “I just did what I was supposed to do: catch it.”

“Anybody that witnessed that play (Wednesday), you’re going to get jacked up,” coach Leslie Frazier said. “That was an incredible play and one of the reasons we get excited about him. We’re hoping to see that on Sunday afternoons, plays like that. That will really help our team, help our quarterback’s confidence, and we need that.”

» Continue reading “News From Vikings OTA #5″

Percy Harvin and Chad Greenway participates in OTAs: For week one of OTAs, WR Percy Harvin was a spectator while rehabbing, along side teammate Adrian Peterson, from off-season shoulder surgery.  LB Chad Greenway was also absent from week one of OTAs while he was attending to a family issue.  However, for OTA #4, according to the Vikings.com, Harvin and Greenway joined their teammates on the field and looked “refreshed and explosive.”

ESPN analysis of the Vikings back-up QB situation: Christian Ponder will enter the 2012 season as the #1 QB on the Vikings depth-chart.  However, Ponder faced multiple injuries during his rookie season.  It’s important for the Vikings to have a reliable back-up QB in case Ponder, who has the reputation as being “injury prone,” goes down sometime during the season.

» Continue reading “Minnesota Vikings News Bulletin: June 4th-5th”

NFL off-season is all about predictions:  ESPN NFC North’s blogger Kevin Seifert predicts the Minnesota Vikings best- and worst-case scenarios.  His dream scenario involves the Vikings finishing the season with nine wins and seven losses.  In order for the Vikings to achieve this status, Christian Ponder will need to take a huge leap forward at the quarterback position, Adrian Peterson will be back at full strength early in the season, and increased production from their defensive backfield.  The Vikings worst-case scenario would finishing with the same 3-13 record they had in 2011.  The lack of record improvement would involve no improvement, which I believe would be impossible: Christian Ponder will remain inconsistent, Peterson isn’t dominant when he returns, and the defense implodes.

Vegas predicts 6 wins for the Vikings: The Vegas line for Minnesota’s 2012 season is 6 (Over: even, Under: -130).
DJ Gallo (ESPN):  Under. With a new stadium on the way in the next few years, it would be inappropriate for the Vikings to send the Metrodome out with success. They need to honor their history there by losing.
Joe Fortenbaugh (National Football Post): UNDER Minnesota Vikings (6): It’s possible that the Vikings come out of the gate strong with wins over Indianapolis and Jacksonville during the first two weeks of the season. But it’s also conceivable that Minnesota turns in another 0-6 divisional record like they did in 2010, meaning the Vikings would need to go 7-3 outside of the NFC North to give us a loser. That’s a tall order for Christian Ponder and an organization that didn’t make a whole lot of upgrades this offseason.

Sporting News Coaches Rank: Well, lets say they weren’t too kind to Minnesota Vikings’ second-year head coach.  Leslie Frazier ranked 27-out-of-32 head coaches in the NFL.  Frazier is the lowest ranked head coach who coached the previous year.  However, I wouldn’t rush to too much judgement in terms of Leslie’s first full year as the Vikings head coach.  In Frazier’s first year, the Vikings were unable to hold offseason workouts due to the NFL lockout.

Charlie Johnson accepts move to guard: In 2011, Charlie Johnson was in charge of protecting Donovan McNabb’s and Christian Ponder’s blind side and it’s safe to say, it wasn’t pretty.  With Johnson’s lackluster perfromance at left tackle, the Vikings used their fourth overall draft pick to draft USC’s Matt Kalil, which will solidify the left tackle position for many years to come.  With the addition of Kalil, Johnson is expected to slide over to the left guard position, which he is better suited for.

You could say it’s easier to play guard than tackle.  A lot of times in pass protection as a guard, you can try to funnel a guy back inside toward the center because the center might be uncovered. He may be free and looking to help where help is needed. That’s the biggest change. You can get more help instead of being out on an island. — Charlie Johnson

ESPN’s “Football Scientist” predicts big things for Ponder in his sophomore season: KC Joyner, who is referred to as the Football Scientist suggests Ponder could have a “break out season” in 2012.

“An upgraded supporting cast should also go a long way toward helping Ponder reduce his 4.3 percent bad decision rate (BDR) last year (BDR being a gauge of how often a quarterback makes a mental error that leads to a turnover or a near-turnover). That total was the third-highest in the league, but is not atypical of the BDR numbers posted by many of today’s top quarterbacks early in their career and thus isn’t an unsolvable problem.”

ESPN’s Rookie Buzz highlights Vikings’ WR Greg Childs: ESPN’s NFC North Blogger Kevin Seifert highlights Childs as an “intriguing rookie.”  The Vikings have a thin wide receivers core behind Percy Harvin and newly signed Jerome Simpson, so Childs will have an opportunity to make an impact immediately on the field.  If he truly his 100% following his knee injury, like he says he is, I expect Childs to bounce back from a less-than stellar senior season at Arkansas.

In October 2010, Childs was projected as one of college football’s best NFL receiver prospects before tearing the patella tendon in his right knee. Doctors told him it could take up to a year and a half to recover fully, which would have cost him his final season at Arkansas. Childs decided to play in 2011, but as it turned out, he might have been better off sitting out.

Childs seems quite aware of his opportunity, telling the “Vikings Tonight” radio show that “I definitely have a chip on my shoulder,” adding that he wants to “show everyone that I can still be one of the top receivers and that I will be a steal of this draft.”

Indeed, draft analyst Matt Waldman – writing for The New York Times last month – considered Childs the fifth-best receiver available in the draft. Waldman wrote that Childs’ pro day was indicative of a full recovery and “a return to the skills he displayed as a sophomore and junior.”

On Tuesday, May 22nd, the Minnesota Vikings announced they have come to terms with seven of their 10 2012 draft picks, including fourth-round wide recievers Jarius Wright and Greg Childs, fourth-round tight end Rhett Ellison, fifth-round safety Robert Blanton, sixth-round kicker Blair Walsh, seventh-round linebacker Audie Cole and seventh-round defensive end Trevor Guyton.

According to the Pioneer Press, Ellison signed a 4-year contract worth $2.4 million with a $300,000 signing bonus.  Blanton also received a 4-year contract, which is worth $2.31 million with a $211,000 bonus.

As of now, first-round left tackle Matt Kalil, first-round safety Harrison Smith, and third-round cornerback Josh Robinson remain un-sign.

What are some of the draftees saying on Twitter:

Matt Kalil | Credit: KFAN

The Minnesota Vikings are currently in the middle of having their three day rookie mini camp at Winter Park.  There are 71 players in attendance: 10 draft picks, 15 undrafted free-agent signees,  seven players signed before the draft, and 39 tryout players. The Vikings even had some veterans on the sidelines looking at their new teammates.

Below are some nuggets of information people in attendance have noted.

Matt Kalil is awesome and makes Christian Ponder smile:

The rookie receiving the most attention at camp is the fourth overall pick, Matt Kalil.

“Really impressed with how he moves,” said right tackle Phil Loadholt.

“He’s a big man,” said Frazier of Kalil, who stands 6 feet 7 and 310 pounds.  ”You can see why we have high hopes for him.  He was excellent for us today.  His ability to pick up information is encouraging as well.”

Christian Ponder was even in attendance to look at his future left tackle and blind-side protector for years to come.  During open workouts on Wednesday, Ponder admitted he was happy with the Vikings selection of Kalil.

“[Me and Adrian Peterson] cracked a pretty big smile,” Ponder said.

Kalil….is expected to start immediately at left tackle.  That’ll move Charlie Johnson to left guard, upgrading the protection unit if everything goes to plan.

And no one would benefit more from that than Ponder, whose struggles as a rookie were magnified by an increasing tendency to stare down the rush, rather than keeping his eyes down field.

“It is huge,” Ponder said. “A lot of time last year, it didn’t necessarily have to do with the protection.  A lot of time I wasn’t comfortable getting to my third, fourth reads, checking the ball down.  Instead of just checking it down when a guy is wide open, I’d just run.

“That’s something I have to get away from.  It’s easy to break the habit.  It’s just going to make it so much better having full confidence in the protection.  Offensive line is looking good.  They got stacked up pretty quickly and they’ve got a lot of depth now. I’m excited about that as a quarterback.”

With the addition of Kalil to the offensive line, I will look for Ponder to make a huge step forward this upcoming season.

Greg Childs and Jarius Wright are a package deal, so it seems:

Childs and Wright played high school football together.  Then they both went to Arkansas.  Then they were both drafted in the fourth round by the Minnesota Vikings. Oh, and they both play wide receiver, but excel at different aspects.

“We always do things together.  This just makes us get even closer,” Childs said Friday as they both began their NFL careers at Minnesota Vikings rookie minicamp.

….

They grew up together and became two of the four players from Warren High School to sign with the University of Arkansas in 2008.  The 6-foot-3, 219-pound Childs blossomed first, leading the Razorbacks in nearly every receiving  category as a sophomore in 2009, including 48 catches for 894 yards and seven touchdowns.

He was on track for an even bigger junior year with 46 catches for 659 yards when he tore the patella tendon in his right knee in the eight game against Vanderbilt.  His senior year was rough after, he later acknowledged, he returned too soon.  The Vikings watched him fall down the draft board, anticipating his bounce-back season will be this one.

“If that’s the case, we’ll be the beneficiaries and he could be the steal of the draft,” Frazier said.

Childs said he has a “very big chip” on his shoulder.

“Before I got hurt I was considered one of the top receivers.  Since I got hurt I might not have gone in the round I wanted to go in, but I’m going to come out here and give it my all,” he said.

Wright is only 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds, but he has exceptional speed and the ability to return punts and kickoffs as well.  His breakout came last season, including a 13-catch, 281-yard game against Texas A&M  for a season total of 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns.  He spoke eagerly about joining and learning from Percy Harvin, one of his inspirations

Childs is considered an outside threat, while Wright is one in the inside game.  Wright will likely back-up his inspiration in Percy Harvin.

Veterans look-on | Credit: Aj Mansour of KFAN

Day 1 nuggets (only day open to media):

• WR Jarius Wright sat out Friday’s second practice after hitting his head in the morning practice

“I’m doing good,” Wright said after the conclusion of the first day of practices.  ”No real problems with the head.  I was feeling a little sick earlier so for precautionary reasons they didn’t want me coming back out here and getting sick again .”

• Marks Lesie Frazier’s first “official” off-season with his players.  Last year, the Vikings were burned due to the lockout and never had proper a off-season.

“The coaches and I have talked about that repeatedly,” Frazier said.  ”We were in meetings yesterday just going through some of the final touches for this camp that we’re having and we just looked at one another, to be able to have this discussion and know it’s going to happen, it’s a big deal for us to be able to come on the field with so many players that we think are going to be able to help us and to spend time with them.”

• Veterans in attendance, included QB Christian Ponder and Joe Webb, TEs John Carlson and Kyle Rudolph, OL Brandon Fusco, Charlie Johnson, Phil Loadholt, DeMarcus Love and John Sullivan, DL Everson Griffen, WR Manny Arceneaux and RB Jordan Todman

“Some of (the veterans) asked me about it,” Frazier said.  ”They wanted to be able to come out and watch and we said, ‘Come out and look.  Just make sure you don’t jump in a drill or pick up a dummy or anything like that.’ It’s good that they want to come out and watch.  They’re hungry to get out there as well.

“The participation we’ve had in the offseason program has been superb.  The fact they want to come out here when they could leave and do other things on a Friday, that’s a good sign.”

• CB Josh Robinson is F-A-S-T!!!

“I was watching the guys return punts this morning,” Frazier said, “and we still have those cheat sheets with the guys numbers (on them).  Josh caught a punt and he took off like a guy shot out of a rocket.  I thought, ‘Man, that guy has a nice little burst, let me see who that is.’

“It was Josh Robinson and I said, ‘That’s a good sign.” That burst, it sticks out.  You can see why he ran a 4.2, 4.3 40(-yard dash) at the combine.  He can get from A to B pretty quickly.  So that’s encouraging.”

• Kickers Galore! Vikings picked Georgia kicker Blair Walsh in the sixth round, when they signed Ryan Longwell to a four-year,$12 million deal last season

Frazier said he does not know if the Vikings will keep two kickers — the possibility would be to start off Walsh as a kickoff specialist — and added that’s “not in the game plan right now.”

Asked about evaluating Walsh, Frazier said: “We are obviously going to take a close look at him.  Obviously, when you draft a kicker you are drafting for a reason.”

• Minicamp invitees on a tryout basis include LB coach Mike Singletary’s son Matt Signletary and Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald’s brother, Marcus Fitzgerald.

The Vikings had two more practices today and one final practice on Sunday.