Sports Information :: essays research papers

The Minnesota Vikings opened their developmental camp for veterans on Monday morning at Winter Park. The Vikings had a very high player turnout for their first session on Monday, including free agent signees Kenny Mixon, Lorenzo Bromell, Corey Chavous, and Henri Crockett. The developmental camp will run Monday-Wednesday and the Vikings will have workouts, classroom work, and weightlifting. â€Å"I thought the work was good,† Mike Tice said. â€Å"I thought the tempo was good today. I had to pull them back a little bit because I was worried about somebody getting hurt. But I thought the tempo was excellent and the guys understand that they have to be in good shape in order to keep up.† The only veterans not at Monday’s workout were defensive tackle Darius Holland and newly signed tight end Hunter Goodwin and punter Kyle Richardson. Tice said Holland had a death in the family and that Goodwin would likely be on the field tomorrow and Richardson on Wednesday. The Vikings will have their first mini-camp this weekend, when the team’s draft picks and rookie free agents will join the veterans for practices. â€Å"There is definitely a sense of excitement on both sides of the ball,† Byron Chamberlain said. â€Å"I think guys were eager to get out here after what seemed like a long offseason. Any time you win five games and lose 11, it tends to be a pretty long offseason. There is a sense of excitement with the moves we made in the draft and free agency and just seeing guys out here for the first time.† Notes The Vikings signed rookie free agent wide receiver Kelly Campbell on Monday. Campbell played for Vikings’ defensive line coach George O’Leary at Georgia Tech, where he had 56 catches for 708 yards and three touchdowns in 2001. He is Georgia Tech’s all-time leader in career catches (198), receiving yards (2,907) and touchdowns (24). Comments from Monday Daunte Culpepper On his knee I’m fine. I’ve just rehabbed it real good this offseason. I’m feeling real good. I’m over 90 percent and I’m ready to go. (It just) needs a little more strengthening, that’s all. I can run. I would like to strengthen it a little bit more so it’s equal to my right, or even stronger. On Bryant McKinnie He definitely is a blessing to us and definitely to myself. I’m glad that we got him. I was hoping and praying that we would, and I couldn’t believe that he dropped to number seven.