An MRI on wide receiver Percy Harvin's right hip Monday showed he has a strain, according to Vikings coach Brad Childress.

"He is doing better," Childress said during his news conference at Winter Park. "Those are unfortunately nagging kind of things around there. There's nothing that's dramatic going on there, which is always something that you attempt to alleviate."

Harvin, who was held out of practice last Thursday because of the injury, caught five passes for 32 yards in the Vikings' 14-10 loss to Miami on Sunday at Mall of America Field at the Metrodome. However, he was clearly troubled by the hip and lost his footing on a Brett Favre pass at the the goal line that he deflected and Miami cornerback Vontae Davis picked off.

Harvin aggravated the injury while blocking on a play in the first half but was able to continue in the game.

Meanwhile, Childress said linebacker Ben Leber was much improved Monday after he left Sunday's game in the third quarter because of a back injury. "He just had a little something going on with his back, but he's dramatically improved from how he left the game yesterday," Childress said. "As a matter of fact, it must have been a twist or a turn because it's hard to find anything on tape that would lead you to believe that he did get hurt."

Childress said he did not know exactly what was wrong with Leber, before adding, "tweaked muscles by the spinal column, I'm not sure if it's soft tissue or hard tissue. As I said, typically when you spasm or something of that nature, it can improve overnight, and it didn't even come close to getting worse."

It remains to be seen if either Harvin or Leber will have to sit out next Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions. The Vikings will begin practicing for that game on Wednesday.

Etc.

  • Childress, asked about the Vikings' interest in San Diego holdout wide receiver Vincent Jackson, said again that he could not address the topic because the player is the property of another team.
  • The Vikings will play the Lions and rookie running back Jahvid Best on Sunday. Best was the player the Lions took after the Vikings traded their first round selection (30th overall) to Detroit in April. Asked about the decision to pass on Best and whether it was because the Vikings already had Harvin, Childress said: "Really, two explosive athletes, Percy and him. Two different positions, running back and wide receiver. There is no question about his ability. He's got 'A' ability. We just had, in this day and age, concerns about his concussions and the fact that with a smaller in stature running back how he could play through that."