vikings/nfl
Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.
Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.
McNabb will be able to practice today
Posted by: under Vikings, NFC, Bernard Berrian, Ryan Longwell Updated: August 4, 2011 - 8:21 AM
MANKATO -- The wait is about to end for Donovan McNabb.
The Vikings quarterback and 16 other players will be allowed to take part in the team's training camp practice on Thursday afternoon (3 to 5:30 p.m.). Earlier Wednesday there was some question as to whether the new Collective Bargaining Agreement would be done in time for players who re-signed as free agents or were signed as free agents to take part in practices around the NFL on Thursday.
But there were multiple reports that late Wednesday night the NFL and the NFL Players Association finished up the final remaining details involved in the CBA. This will enable players to vote on the CBA on Thursday -- it's going to pass -- and thus the newcomers will have their contracts become official and be able to practice.
The Vikings were among the teams that decided to shift their schedule so their practice would be after the new league year begins at 3 p.m. Thursday. The team was originally schedule to practice in the morning, but now will conduct a one-hour walk-through from 9 to 10 a.m. Without that change, the 17 players in question could not have practiced Thursday because they are not eligible to do so until the new league year begins.
The Vikings' practice on Thursday afternoon will be done in full pads and feature hitting. A word of caution to those of you considering a trip to Mankato. Make sure you plan to attend the official practice of the day and not the hour-long walk-through. These sessions focus on installation with players going through things in slow motion and there is almost nothing to see. The new CBA only allows for one real practice per day.
Also, Peter King of Sports Illustrated reported via Twitter that teams will not have to be under the $120.375 million salary cap until 3 p.m. Friday. It was originally thought clubs would have to be under the cap by some point on Thursday.
Update: Mark Maske of the Washington Post put this on Twitter today: According to several people familiar with talks, final CBA issues have not been officially resolved. Work remains before players can vote. But again, NFL said this morning "everything is moving forward" on final CBA ratification and new league year is expected to begin today.
Here is a list of the Vikings who should be on the field Thursday after having to watch the first three days:
- S Husain Abdullah
- WR Devin Aromashodu
- DE Adrian Awasom
- DT Remi Ayodele
- WR Bernard Berrian
- OL Ryan Cook
- RB Tristan Davis
- DT Fred Evans
- S Eric Frampton
- LB Erin Henderson
- WR Michael Jenkins
- OT Charlie Johnson
- K Ryan Longwell
- OT Scott Kooistra
- DL Cedric McKinley
- QB Donovan McNabb
- LB Mark Washington
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