A daily dispatch from Mankato.

Practice snapshot

The Sunday after the first preseason game is always a sluggish day back in Mankato. This year was no different. The morning walk-through started 20 minutes later than usual, but five pretty important defenders still hadn't arrived when it came time for the offense/defense portion of the walk-through. Finally, here came Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Brian Robison, Fred Evans and Everson Griffen walking into Blakeslee Stadium a few moments late. Their teammates were already going through the walk-through but stopped long enough to mock them with a round of applause for finally showing up.

Ponder crisp

The intensity did pick up a little in the afternoon practice. The highlight was quarterback Christian Ponder looking crisp while going 4-for-4 during an 11-on-11 two-minute drill. His final throw in the drill was about a 25-yard completion to tight end Kyle Rudolph, who reached over linebacker Chad Greenway to make the grab.

From the podium

For a fringe running back fighting to make the roster, pass protection can be the difference between making the team and looking for work. Friday night, No. 3 running back Matt Asiata showed why he was a surprise roster survivor a year ago when he picked up a middle blitz that would have left a bruise or two on Matt Cassel. Said coach Leslie Frazier: "That is one of the attributes that has helped Matt make our team. The fact that he is a very good special teams player, he can run the ball, but also he is very sound in protection as well helps him and gives him a leg up on other guys who are vying for the third running back spot on our roster."

Camp chatter

"I came off and was like, 'Leslie, one more?' and he was like, 'No, no.' So it was really like no discussion. We knew that going in, but as a competitor, you really don't want to go down like that." — Receiver Greg Jennings, talking about lobbying the head coach for one more series after the first-team offense's night ended with an interception on the second snap of Friday night's preseason opener.

Injury report

• CB Xavier Rhodes (hamstring) returned to practice and worked with the first-team nickel.

• LB Desmond Bishop (groin) returned to practice.

• WR Greg Childs (knees) is on the physically-unable-to-perform list.

• CB A.J. Jefferson (hamstring) returned to practice.

• LB Audie Cole (undisclosed injury) didn't practice.

Schedule: Three days out

Monday: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 2:30-4:45 p.m. full pads.

Tuesday: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 2:30-4:45 p.m. full pads.

Wednesday: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 2:30-4:45 p.m. full pads.