It remains uncertain if the NFL lockout will really end in the coming days or if the NFL will get the stay they are looking to obtain from the 8th Circuit U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but the Vikings are making plans to begin their offseason program.
Vikings being told to report next week
The coaching staff is calling players and telling them to report to Winter Park.
By judd zulgad
April 28, 2011 at 11:35PM
The team is calling players this evening and telling them to report to Winter Park on Monday to begin working out. Once the league year begins, the team can begin holding Organized Team Activities and conducting its workout program. Those two things are optional.
However, assuming the league goes back to working under the 2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Vikings also will be able to conduct two mandatory minicamps. The team will get an extra one because Leslie Frazier is considered a new head coach, despite the fact he was the interim coach for the final six games last season.
"I'm coming to workout everyday that we are allowed," tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said in a text message. "[I] can't wait!"
Vikings players will be able to get into Winter Park starting Friday morning to workout, if they so desire.
The Vikings aren't the only NFC North team to make quick plans, now that it appears there is a good chance the new league year will have to start. The Detroit Lions have a Monday meeting and will start OTAs on Wednesday. The Bears have a meeting scheduled for Monday morning.
The players with the most incentive to show up starting Monday will be the guys with workout bonuses written into their contracts. Those players likely either have to be at Winter Park for a set number of workouts or a percentage of them during the offseason.
Here's a list of those players:
DT Kevin Williams, $500,000
LT Bryant McKinnie, $250,000
WR Bernard Berrian, $100,000
LB E.J. Henderson, $100,000
OG Anthony Herrera, $100,000
TE Visanthe Shiancoe, $100,000
S Madieu Williams, $100,000
CB Chris Cook, $80,000
TE Jeff Dugan, $50,000
CB Cedric Griffin, $50,000
OG Steve Hutchinson, $50,000
P Chris Kluwe, $50,000
WR Percy Harvin, $27,500
WR Greg Camarillo, $25,000
LS Cullen Loeffler, $20,000
RB Toby Gerhart, $12,500
OT Phil Loadholt, $2,500
about the writer
judd zulgad
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
