Free agency started at 3 p.m. today, but the Minnesota Vikings were off and running with team changes.

Vikings agreed to a multi-year extension with Phil Loadholt to kick of free agency.

Their biggest move so far is the trade of WR Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks. Harvin, who had arguably one of his best seasons despite only playing less than nine games, had been rumored to have asked for a trade. Many off-the-field rumors led to the Harvin trade, in which the Vikings received three draft picks – a 1st-rounder and 7th-rounder in 2013 and a 3rd-rounder in 2014.

Another big move the Vikings have made is the re-signing of right tackle Phil Loadholt. The Vikings selected Loadholt in the second round in 2009, and after four solid seasons blocking for Adrian Peterson, the Vikings decided they’d like to see him in purple for the next phase of his career.

The Vikings also re-signed Joe Berger for depth on the offensive line.

Slightly more shocking free agency news came today when the Vikings made the decision to release veteran CB Antoine Winfield. Winfield was due $7.25 million in 2013, and unwilling to take a pay cut, the Vikings made the tough decision to let the veteran go. Winfield, who had arguably one of the best seasons of his career in 2012, was given the option to return to the Vikings lineup upon taking a pay cut.

“Antoine is a great football player for us. He’s another one that’s a tremendous leader and great what he does in this community,” GM Rick Spielman said. “We definitely want to keep the door open on his possible return, but at this time we had to release him in order to get him out in free agency.”

The Vikings have a few shortcomings when it comes to the wide receiver position if they don’t plan on signing any big name free agents. The Vikings did re-sign WR Jerome Simpson to a one-year deal today. Simpson, who had a less-than-spectacular 2012, will be given another shot in 2013.

Also on Tuesday, the Vikings re-signed fullback Jerome Felton, who played a key role in Adrian Peterson’s 2,000 yard season.

The Minnesota Vikings concluded their 2012 training camp in Mankato on Wednesday.  The highlight of the final week of training camp was the activation of Adrian Peterson and his first practice with pads on Tuesday.

Adrian Peterson Update: Adrian Peterson is back with his teammates on the football field after having a season ending knee injury last year.  Although he wasn’t ready for the first day of camp, Peterson progressed in his rehab during the first two weeks and was activated off the PUP list for the final week in Mankato.  Peterson described his return to the football field like a “kid in a candy shop.”

However, his teammates, especially those on defense, are under strict restrictions when it comes to #28.

“The rules are simple,” said safety Jamarca Sanford. “Do not touch 28.   If you touch him, you’re cut.”

However, the Vikings star running back isn’t thrilled with his teammates taking it easy on him.

“I’m still going to lower my shoulder, so those guys are probably going to get tired of touching off and tired of me putting my shoulder into them,” Peterson said upon his return to the football field with pads.  ”They’ll end up firing back.”

The “Do not touch 28″ rule will eventually ease up as AP progresses, according to Frazier.

» Continue reading “News Bulletin: Vikings Wrap-Up Training Camp”

The NFL will allow all teams to take 90 players to training camp, which is where the current Minnesota Vikings roster stands (however, the 10 draft picks remain unsigned).  Below is the breakdown of each position, as of May 21st, 2012:

Offense

Quarterbacks: **Christian Ponder, Joe Webb (back-up), Sage Rosenfels and McLeod Bethel-Thompson

Running backs: **Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart, Jordan Todman, Derrick Coleman, Lex Hilliard and Jerome Felton

Wide receivers:  **Percy Harvin, **Jerome Simpson, Manny Arceneaux, Devin Aromashodu, Stephen Burton, Michael Jenkins, Greg Childs, Jarius Wright, Chris Carr, Bryan Walters, Kamar Jorden and Kerry Taylor

Tight ends: **Kyle Rudolph, **John Carlson, Mickey Shuler, Allen Reisner and Rhett Ellison

Offensive linemen: **Matt Kalil (LT), **John Sullivan (C), **Phil Loadholt (RT), **Charlie Johnson (LG), Geoff Schwartz (OL), Kevin Murphy (OT), DeMarcus Love (OT), Brandon Fuscco (OL), Chris DeGeare (OG), Pat Brown (OL), Joe Berger (OL), Tyler Holmes (OG), Darrion Weems (OT), Quentin Saulsberry (C) and Austin Pasztor (OG)

Fullbacks: Ryan D’Imperio and Matt Asiata

Defense

Linebackers: **Chad Greenway, **Erin Henderson, **Jasper Brinkley, Tyrone McKenzie, Larry Dean, Audie Cole, Marvin Mitchell, Tyler Nielson, Corey Paredes and Solomon Elimimian

Defensive linemen: **Jared Allen (DE), **Brian Robinson (DE), **Kevin Williams (DT), D’Aundre Reed (DE), Letroy Guion (DT), Everson Griffen (DE), Fred Evans (DT), Christian Ballard (DL), Trevor Guyton (DL), Nick Reed (DE), Anthony Jacobs (DE), Chase Baker (DT), Terrell Resonno (DT), Tydreke Powell (DT), Ernest Owusu (DE) and Eric Latimore (DE)

Safeties: **Harrison Smith, Robert Blanton, Eric Frampton, Mistral Raymond, Jamarca Sanford and Andrew Sendejo

Corner backs: **Chris Cook, **Antoine Winfield, Marcus Sherels, Brandon Burton, Asher Allen, Josh Robinson, Zach Bowman, Reggie Jones, Bobby Felder, C.C. Whitlock and Nick Taylor

Special Teams

Kicker: Blair Walsh

Punter: Chris Kluwe

Long snapper: Cullen Loeffler

** indicates likely starter/will receive major reps

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.