Back injury will keep Edwards out indefinitely

MANKATO - A lower-back injury will land defensive end Ray Edwards on the physically-unable-to-perform list when the Vikings hold their first training camp practice today at Minnesota State Mankato.

Edwards missed the Vikings' three-day minicamp in June because of the problem, but coach Brad Childress recently expressed optimism the veteran would be ready for camp. Childress said Thursday he thought Edwards had "probably overworked" himself and "just had a little twinge."

"He can get more done on the side, working out, and it's more of an insurance kind of thing for us," Childress said. There is no timetable on how long Edwards will be held out of practices. "I can't tell you if it's a day, two days, three days," Childress said. "It's certainly not because of conditioning. He's in great, great shape."

Edwards, who tied for the Vikings team lead with five sacks last season despite missing the final four games because he violated the NFL's policy on steroids, is expected to start at left end. He played on the right side in 2007 but has been moved because of the addition of Pro Bowl end Jared Allen.

Jayme Mitchell is expected to work with the first team while Edwards is out. Brian Robison will be the primary backup to Allen on the right side but also could get reps on the left end in Edwards' absence.

Back problems can linger, but Childress made it clear he isn't overly concerned.

"I'm not. Backs are kind of funny things," Childress said. "If I thought that there was something that he wasn't doing to put himself in a place to be there ... like I said, I think he's overworked a little bit. ... It hasn't been an ongoing thing. He wants to be in the mix so he'll get back as fast as he can, as fast as we'll let him."

With plenty of discussion about the tampering charges the Packers filed against the Vikings for allegedly talking to quarterback Brett Favre, Childress was asked if he felt a need to address his players about the situation during meetings held Thursday.

"I let it be, and as I said, the league is going to deal with that," Childress said. "Hopefully, we'll have that thing resolved pretty quick."

An NFL spokesman declined to comment about whether a ruling could come soon. Childress said "it's kind of their time frame, their decision," when asked if he would like to see the matter resolved as soon as possible.

• Childress did not have the team go through any conditioning drills. Some players had to go through the process the day before camp opened last year, but this time the conditioning exercises were conducted during organized team activities in the spring.

"That was something we optioned out of," Childress said. "Those guys spent a great deal of time in the offseason program taking care of that, and we had it set for a day back during the OTAs where we could do it en masse. I think it's counterproductive to do it here a day before you start to deaden their legs."

• Childress said he wished his team had practiced Thursday given the cool and overcast conditions in Mankato. The forecast in Mankato today calls for a high of 84 degrees with a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.

• Owner Zygi Wilf was in town Thursday to address the players as part of their meetings.