Vikings focus on football, not Favre, as first OTA sessions begin

We interrupt the latest bit of Brett Favre "will he or won't he" speculation for some actual on-the-field news involving the Vikings.

Three weeks after Favre's release from the Jets began a nearly daily stream of reports that the quarterback would end his retirement to play in Minnesota, the Vikings will begin their first session of practices today that are part of Organized Team Activities.

We know these sessions will not include Favre, and they likely won't involve several of the Vikings veterans either. The first four days of OTAs, which run through Friday, will be for rookies, free agents and selected veterans. Teams can conduct up to 14 OTA practices -- coach Brad Childress doesn't usually use all of the allotted days -- and while none are mandatory, veterans often will attend if they are given the indication that their presence is desired.

The Vikings' rookies already had a three-day rookie minicamp at the start of this month, but by limiting the number of veterans on the field this week, the coaching staff will be able to again give more attention to many of the newcomers.

This should help to get them up to speed for the mandatory minicamp, which is scheduled to involve all players and will be held May 29-31. The select veterans who have been invited will include players returning from injuries who would benefit from going through drills that are supposed to be of a non-contact variety.

Here are five issues and/or items that will be of importance as the Vikings take the next step in their offseason program:

• First look at Percy: Wide receiver Percy Harvin, the Vikings' first-round draft pick, missed the May 1-3 rookie camp after becoming ill during a layover in Atlanta while traveling from Florida to the Twin Cities. Harvin ended up in a hospital because of extreme dehydration but has recovered and should be ready to go today. That means the Vikings can begin experimenting with different ways to use the explosive playmaker, who also can line up at running back. The first photos of Harvin in action should surface Thursday when the media is allowed a day of access.

• The QB competition: For now Favre remains in Mississippi, and that means at some point the Tarvaris Jackson-Sage Rosenfels competition will get underway. Rosenfels qualifies as a newcomer, having been acquired from Houston in February, and considering he watched some of the opening day of the rookie camp from the sideline, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him participate. And if Rosenfels is on the field, Jackson might decide he needs to make a good impression as well.

• Feel-good story: No matter how cynical one might be about pro sports, this is one case where everyone can agree they are rooting for an athlete. Defensive end Kenechi Udeze, who missed all of last season while battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia and had a bone marrow transplant in July, declared that he will be ready to do whatever is asked of him during OTAs. Udeze spent much of this spring working out at Southern Cal and taking classes.

• Man in the middle: It's not a given that he will participate, but it wouldn't be surprising to see center John Sullivan get some work. A sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2008, Sullivan is the leading candidate to take over for Matt Birk, who signed with Baltimore as a free agent in March after being the Vikings' starting center since 2000 (he missed '05 because of injury) and making six Pro Bowl appearances.

• A big addition: Phil Loadholt might not have generated the same excitement as Harvin when the Vikings took him in the second round of last month's draft, but the 6-8, 343-pound right tackle could be just as important when it comes to making an impact as a rookie. Loadholt is expected by many to win the starting job over Ryan Cook and Artis Hicks and will get another chance this week to prove he is a quick study.

• The Vikings signed free-agent fullback Nehemiah Broughton, a seventh-round selection of the Washington Redskins in 2005. Broughton has appeared in six career games, all with Washington in 2005 and 2006. He spent 2007 on injured reserve and last season on Washington's practice squad. Broughton played college football at the Citadel.