Camp snapshot

Mike Zimmer has promised fans that the Vikings will be fast and physical, but those who showed up for the first practice of Camp Zimmer watched a slower-paced, OTA-style practice because the Vikings are not practicing in full pads until Sunday. Typically, the defense gets the better of the offense early in NFL training camps while the offense tries to find a rhythm, and the defense, which contested several passes, gets the slight nod on this day. It would have been a different story if not for a couple of missed connections on deep passes to Jerome Simpson.

Quarterback battle

Veteran Matt Cassel, who worked with the starters, completed six of his 10 attempts in team drills, but he was victimized by a pair of blatant drops. Rookie Teddy Bridgewater completed five of eight attempts, but he overshot Simpson on one play where the wide receiver got behind the secondary. Third-stringer Christian Ponder threw only two passes in team drills, completing one. He was a little erratic in individual drills, missing targets both high and low.

from the podium

Zimmer shrugged off questions about his mind-set heading into his first training camp as an NFL head coach, but Zimmer did admit that one part of the transition from coordinator to head coach will be difficult. Zimmer is used to zeroing in on about 45 defensive players in camp. Now he has to evaluate all 90 players on the roster, something he must remind himself to do. "It's more volume, I guess, for me in trying to get all of that done," he said. "I've got a list of things on my board that I want to make sure I do every single day, and that's evaluate all the players."

camp chatter

"I told them they have to be aware of every situation that might come up, but no, that was not me. Now that I think about, it I wish it was. I'll have to use it next year."

— Zimmer when asked if he woke the players up at 1:30 a.m. by pulling the fire alarm.

injury report

• WR Cordarrelle Patterson (foot) missed practice.

• CB Captain Munnerlyn (hamstring), S Andrew Sendejo (back and ankle) and TE Chase Ford (foot) were placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list.

• OT Matt Kalil (knee), NT Linval Joseph (shoulder) and S Jamarca Sanford (pulled muscle) returned to practice after being limited during spring workouts.

Schedule

Three days out

Today: 10:30-11:30 a.m.; 3-5:10 p.m.

Sunday: 10:30-11:30 a.m.; 3-5:10 p.m.

Monday: 10:30-11:30 a.m.; 7:30-9:30 p.m.