Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe suffered a setback with his hamstring injury and was back on the sideline a day after returning to the practice field. Coach Leslie Frazier said the team is erring on the side of caution by deciding not to play the veteran in Saturday night's third preseason game against the Cowboys.

"It's nothing major," Frazier said of the setback. "Just enough that we don't want to chance him not being there for the first [regular season] game."

Shiancoe first injured the hamstring during the first week of practice in Mankato. His first day back to practice was Tuesday, when the Vikings practiced for 2 1/2 hours in full pads.

Meanwhile, backup middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley missed practice because of a hip flexor that has bothered him since the end of last season.

On the flip side, Frazier said right guard Anthony Herrera will start on Saturday in what will be his first game since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee last November. Frazier said the team hopes to get at least one quarter out of Herrera on Saturday.

Herrera has been practicing with the first team since last week, but was held out of last Saturday's preseason game. With Scott Kooistra (neck) landing on injured reserve, Chris DeGeare fading and Ryan Cook probably better suited to be a backup at multiple positions, Herrera is the favorite to recapture his starting position, assuming he stays healthy.

Other highlights include:

  • The team will wait until Thursday to determine whether Christian Ponder or Joe Webb will be the No. 2 quarterback on Saturday night. The two split time with the No. 2 offense today.
  • Frazier was asked what he thought of the Ravens signing former Vikings' tackle Bryant McKinnie. Said Frazier: "Good for him. Should be good for the Ravens. I wish him nothing but the best." Frazier released the overweight McKinnie on the second day of training camp.
  • RB Toby Gerhart missed practice again. Frazier said an MRI revealed no damage to Gerhart's Achilles' tendon or ankle. Gerhart is just experiencing soreness and will not play on Saturday.
  • Quarterback Donovan McNabb said he feels the timing and chemistry between himself and his receivers is "very close" to being where he wants it.
  • Special teams coach Mike Priefer said the team will talk more about the punt return rotation on Saturday, but added that he would like to see Marcus Sherels go first.
  • Jamarca Sanford and Tyrell Johnson continued to split time with the first team at strong safety.
  • Adrian Peterson fumbled and exchange with Ponder. Off the top of my head, it was the first time I remember seeing AD fumble this summer. And it might not have been entirely his fault.
  • Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave worked practice from the sideline, using a headset to communicate with the quarterbacks.
  • Rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph had several nice catches. He's just so fluid and his hands are so soft. The longer Shiancoe is sidelined, the more Rudolph gains on him. But there is room for two pass-catching tight ends in this offense.
  • Husain Abdullah had a nice read and interception.
  • Percy Harvin made another outstanding catch, diving to grab a pass from Ponder.
  • Rookie DT Christian Ballard was on the first-team goal-line defense. Letroy Guion, Kevin Williams' replacement, made a nice stop on the goal line. He was in on three of the four stops in Saturday night's goal-line stand. CB Chris Cook played in the nickel and had a nice pass defense while covering Michael Jenkins.