Earlier today Chip posted a blog in which Cris Carter talked about the absence of Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice from workouts in which several NFL players took part on the University of Minnesota campus.

Rice had gone through some of the training sessions last year with Carter and then had a Pro Bowl season. Although Carter said he wasn't mad at Rice, it was clear he also wasn't very happy to see him missing.

Well, we might now know why Rice hasn't been attending. Rice's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, tweeted today that Rice is suffering from a lingering hip injury that dates to the Vikings' playoff run. "Sidney does not anticipate that this injury will require surgery and he's hopeful that he will be fully healthy for the start of the season," Rosenhaus said in a second tweet.

Rosenhaus put the information on Twitter shortly after rumors began to circulate that Rice had a groin injury and had undergone surgery.

Rice, a second-round pick by the Vikings in 2007, had a breakout season last year, catching a team-leading 83 passes for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns. He was elected to the Pro Bowl but did not play because of injury.