Peterson's light duty is not a concern for staff

MANKATO - Rookie tailback Adrian Peterson missed his 10th practice of training camp Tuesday morning, and his status for the Vikings' preseason opener Friday against St. Louis has not yet been decided.

Peterson suffered a hip pointer Aug. 2, and the Vikings are taking a cautious approach to his recovery. He returned to practice Saturday against Kansas City, but the Vikings held him out of some contact drills Monday morning and shut him down entirely Tuesday morning.

Peterson participated in Tuesday's afternoon session, a 75-minute workout in which players did not wear helmets and ran at about 50 percent.

"We are just going day-to-day with that muscle soreness," coach Brad Childress said. "We want to make sure we don't compound that thing, yet he is being aggressive with how he is treating it and trying to get back on the football field."

Peterson missed the summer's first five practices because of a contract holdout and has been sidelined for another five because of the hip pointer. The Vikings, meanwhile, have limited his contact in three of the 10 practices in which he has participated.

Peterson did not appear concerned as he walked to the locker room Tuesday.

"It's just a day off," Peterson said. "That's all. It's fine."

James 'close'

Defensive end Erasmus James is nearing the end of his rehabilitation from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, Childress said, and will be activated soon from the physically unable to perform list.

"He is close to being ready," Childress said. "He doesn't have any physical issues right now. ... He is ready to get out here and have somebody grab him and shake him and that type of thing. He is close."

James, who declined to comment, has spent most practices working on his conditioning. But recently, defensive line coach Karl Dunbar has been working on basic football drills, serving as a de facto offensive tackle.

With a smile, Childress said that Dunbar's pass blocking ability isn't giving James "a great picture."I am not sure it is the real world," Childress said. "[Dunbar] is kind of like an iron deer on the lawn that he is rushing around."

Etc.

• Receiver Billy McMullen (calf strain) was activated from the nonfootball injury list after missing the first 17 practices of camp. "You want to be out there fighting for your job," McMullen said. "It was good to get out there."

• Childress said he is not inclined to play quarterback Tarvaris Jackson longer than the typical eight to 15 plays Friday against the Rams. "You don't want any bad habits from him playing behind the third offensive line and getting happy feet," Childress said. "We'll pick that up as we go through these preseason games. ... I would rather see him establish a rhythm with the guys that probably he is going to play with on the football field."

• Dr. Alan Reichow, who has worked with receiver Troy Williamson to improve his depth perception during the offseason, visited training camp. Reichow distributed new shaded contact lenses to many players to help them deal with sunlight.

• Running back Mewelde Moore missed Tuesday's practices to spend time with his wife, Tymeka, who gave birth Monday.

Kevin Seifert • kseifert@startribune.com