MANKATO -- The Vikings have made a change to their practice schedule for Thursday, so many of the veterans who haven't been able to practice so far can get on the field.

The team now will conduct a walk-through from 9 to 10 a.m. and then have a practice in full pads from 3 to 5:30 p.m. That, of course, will be their first practice in full pads and should be interesting.

The move to alter the practice time, which a few teams have made for Thursday, is based on the fact that pending ratification of the new collective bargaining agreement the league year will start after 3 p.m. That's when guys like Donovan McNabb, Michael Jenkins and others who were signed or restructured their contracts can take part.

If the CBA is not ratified by tomorrow those players will have to continue sitting out.