Wide receiver Sidney Rice has posted the blog he promised on Tuesday night explaining what is going on with his recovery from hip surgery performed on Monday in Vail, Colo.

Rice goes through what happened with his hip, which he first injured Jan. 24 in the NFC title game, and how he had an MRI afterward. Rice admits "it was pretty bad afterwards," but doctors told him it was expected the problem would heal on its own. Rice, however, "tweaked it" in a minicamp practice and went to see noted hip specialist Dr. Marc Philippon at the Steadman Clinic in Vail.

"He looked at the results and basically said it looked the same as after the MRI I had after the Saints game," Rice wrote on his blog. "He said I could have the surgery or I could continue rehabbing and see how it felt and it could still heal on its own."

Rice writes a couple of times that "no one wants to get surgery" and that's why he did not have a procedure performed in the offseason. Rice then thought the hip was improving in training camp but found out otherwise.

Wrote Rice: "Like a week and a half ago I went back to see the doctor for another MRI and he said it showed significant changes. It was something he thought would be a serious problem if I didn't get it taken care of right then, a problem that could shorten my career. I was feeling better, I had my full range of motion back and felt like I was ready to go, but the doctor compared the last two MRIs and said I should get it taken care of right now."

As for the belief that this might have to do with Rice's contract issue -- he's due $550,000 this year -- he wrote: "People are going to say what they want to say about my contract or whatever, I'm not really worried about that at this point. My main focus is getting back on the field and performing at a high level like I did last year and helping the Vikings win a Super Bowl. It's not my concern what people say about my contract, whatever happens, happens. If the Vikings decide to give me an extension, that's great. If not, life goes on. I'll continue to work hard and do everything I can to be successful in what I've been doing my whole life, and that's playing football.

Finally, Rice wrote that he is not sure when he can return but is aiming for midseason. "I want to do as much rehab as I can as fast as I can without jeopardizing the injury or making it worse. Whatever the doctor says, I'm shooting for two weeks before that." Here is the link.

Other notes:

  • The Vikings confirmed on their website that they have traded cornerback Benny Sapp to Miami in exchange for wide receiver Greg Camarillo. Although the deal is agreed upon by the teams both players first must pass physicals before it becomes official.
  • Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said after practice Wednesday that defensive end Jared Allen was inside Winter Park being examined by the medical staff. Frazier did not reveal what is wrong with Allen. Frazier isn't sure if defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy will be able to play this weekend.
  • Frazier said nose tackle Pat Williams will play on Saturday against Seattle and rookie cornerback Chris Cook got reps at the right cornerback spot.