I've had a few people e-mail me and ask me if I know what's going on with Antoine Winfield. Unfortunately, I don't know any more than any of you folks do. . .that #26 has been a no-show at the team's Organized Team Activities.
Brad Childress said that he was unsure of Winfield's whereabouts, but also added that Winfield has not asked for a trade, to his knowledge. Granted, the OTAs aren't mandatory, but Winfield and Steve Hutchinson were the only non-attendees on Monday, and Hutch was attending a charity golf tournament that he had received clearance for ahead of time.
Personally, this doesn't worry me a heck of a lot. The team's first mandatory mini-camp starts a week from Friday, and since we don't have any whiny, mandatory camp-skipping jackass types on our team (like that one team just to the east of us), I'd expect there to be 100% attendence. If Winfield isn't there on 1 June, then I'll start being concerned.
Some other notes from the OTAs yesterday:
- For the first time, Chester Taylor talked about the Vikings' decision to take fellow running back Adrian Peterson with the seventh-overall pick in last month's draft. "They said they were going to give me some help," Taylor said. "All they are doing is adding depth to our running back crew, so if I go down I'm confident these guys will be able to take over." Taylor and Peterson talked for the first time on Tuesday. Taylor, by the way, will miss Friday's session because he will be attending a funeral.
- Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson ran the first-team offense. Some of his intended targets had troubles holding onto the ball. Free-agent tight end Visanthe Shiancoe dropped at least two passes in various drills, including one from Jackson in the end zone. After Shiancoe dropped an earlier pass he kicked an object on the field and broke it. Tight end Richard Owens, meanwhile, dropped back-to-back passes from rookie quarterback Tyler Thigpen. On the positive side, free-agent receiver Bobby Wade made a nice catch in the end zone.
- Rookie tight end Braden Jones, signed as a free agent after the draft, made a couple of nice catches but he had to leave the field early after injuring a finger on his left hand.
- Free-agent safety Mike Doss, whose 2006 season with Indianapolis was cut short by a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, was able to participate. Doss worked with Tank Williams as a second-team safety. Defensive end Erasmus James (knee) did not take part on Tuesday but he was on the field listening to the instructions from line coach Karl Dunbar. James is expected to be ready for training camp.
- Linebacker Chad Greenway, whose rookie season came to an end after one preseason game in 2006, worked with the first team at weak-side linebacker. E.J. Henderson has moved to the middle and Ben Leber remains on the strong side.
- With James out, Darrion Scott was the first-team left end and Ray Edwards worked at right end. Kenechi Udeze, who did not register a sack last season despite starting at right end for much of the year, was the second team left end.
- Receivers Chandler Williams, Bobby Wade and Jason Carter all got some time returning punts.
Udeze as the second-team left end? Ruh-roh. The writing is clearly on the wall for BKU, it appears. . .he and Troy Williamson better get together and figure out what the two of them need to do to start justifying where they were drafted.
That's all for now, folks. . .possibly more later!