Allen's 'K.C. exemption' keeps circus away

RIVER FALLS, WIS. - Vikings fans who were eager to see if there would be any fireworks between defensive end Jared Allen and his former team were out of luck Thursday.

Allen was one of 17 Vikings players -- including 13 starters -- who did not make the trip here for a joint practice with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Fearing Allen's presence might create a circus atmosphere, Vikings coach Brad Childress instructed him to stay home. He called it a "Kansas City exemption."

"I texted him when I was coming over the St. Croix River and said what's wrong with this picture," Childress said. "I'm passing over the St. Croix River and you're passing over Lake Minnetonka. He texted me back and said, 'Cancel it. Come get in the boat.'"

Childress gave players age 30 and older an exemption. Defensive tackle Kevin Williams and linebacker Ben Leber received "baby exemptions." Kenderick Allen (leg), Garrett Mills (ankle), Bobby Wade (knee) and Bernard Berrian (undisclosed) remained in Mankato to get treatment.

The absences of so many key players gave the coaching staff an opportunity to evaluate younger players, particularly at linebacker, wide receiver and in the secondary.

Allen's absence, in particular, left an anticlimactic feel to the event considering how much attention has been focused on his rocky departure from the Chiefs this offseason. Reporters peppered Allen with questions about facing his former team all week, and that figured to be the focus Thursday night.

Childress dropped a not-so- subtle hint that Allen might not participate when he met with reporters after Wednesday's practice.

"I don't know if they will see him," Childress said when asked about Allen going against his former team.

Chiefs veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez said he understood why the Vikings left Allen at home.

"It would have been too much," he said. "Let him go relax.

"How many people are around me right now? There's like 10. There would have been 150 people around him trying to ask him questions."

Such as why he feels the Vikings are a better fit than Kansas City?

"I'll ask him tonight," Gonzalez said. "Thirty million reasons why, I don't know. For Jared it's not about the money. He just wanted a place that fit him and loved him."

It's hard to read too much into the performance because of all the absences and the fact both teams kept things close to the vest. But quarterback Tarvaris Jackson looked fairly sharp in the passing game in both seven-on-seven and team drills.

"I felt good," he said. "I felt I made quick decisions. That was my main focus: Make smart and quick decisions, and I felt like I did that."

The Vikings worked mostly on the short passing game. Jackson completed six of eight passes in 7-on-7 and showed good timing on quick-hitting passes.

"I thought he did a good job by and large," Childress said.

• Cornerback Marcus McCauley was carted off to the locker room after injuring his right knee during special teams play early in practice. McCauley said he doesn't think it's anything serious. "I feel fine," he said. "It's just precautionary."

• Running back Adrian Peterson turned in the play of the night when he took a swing pass from Jackson and made several Kansas City defenders miss for a 23-yard touchdown play.

• Defensive end Ray Edwards took part in individual work. Edwards missed the first five days of camp because of a lower back injury.

• Cornerback Benny Sapp made a diving interception of a Damon Huard pass.

• The Vikings were scheduled to stay in Minneapolis on Thursday before traveling back to Mankato this morning for an afternoon practice.