Vikings players checking in; Kennedy is out

Many reported to Winter Park today, where they will be allowed to work out and check into the locker room before training camp opens in Mankato.

July 26, 2011 at 6:23PM
Wide receiver Percy Harvin waved to reporters as he arrived at Winter Park July 26, 2011. The Vikings will begin training camp in Mankato on Monday.
Wide receiver Percy Harvin waved to reporters as he arrived at Winter Park July 26, 2011. The Vikings will begin training camp in Mankato on Monday. (Dml - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Percy Harvin was the first player to arrive at Winter Park as the team reopened for business on Tuesday morning.

So far about 15 players have been seen entering the facility -- or tweeted they were in the facility by 10:45.

Harvin and cornerback Cedric Griffin, coming off a knee injury, already have come and gone.

Quarterback Christian Ponder tweeted that he was on his way to Winter Park. Although Ponder has yet to sign, he is allowed to voluntarily show up.

Other players at Winter Park were Rhett Bomar, Everson Griffen, John Sullivan, Jaymar Johnson, Jim Kleinsasser, Toby Gerhart, Kyle Rudolph, E.J. Henderson, Chris DeGeare and Brian Robison.

The Vikings, meanwhile, are busy working the phones at Winter Park as teams are allowed to begin speaking to, but not signing, veteran free agents today.

They have also signed undrafted free agents today but likely won't release that list until all those signings are complete. They could also attempt to sign Ponder and other draft picks today.

There already have been several reports, tweets and even Facebook messages about undrafted rookies who have agreed to terms with the Vikings. This (unofficial) list includes wide receivers Andre Holmes of Hillsdale College and Dominique Johnson of Cal Poly; running backs Matt Asiata of Utah and Derrick Locke of Kentucky; tight end Allen Reisner of Iowa; kicker Nate Whitaker of Stanford; guard Conan Amituanai of Arizona; linebacker Larry Dean of Valdosta State; and defensive back Devon Torrence of Ohio State.

Vikings not on list of Hasselbeck suitors: Sounds as if you can cross Matt Hasselbeck off the list of potential Vikings quarterbacks. According to Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times, the list of teams in play for Hasselbeck are Seattle (his current club), Arizona, San Francisco, Tennessee and Miami.

Meanwhile Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald, reports that free agent quarterback Tyler Thigen has his eyes on the Vikings, Tennessee, Buffalo, Seattle and Arizona. Thigpen was a seventh-round pick of the Vikings in 2007 but was lost on waivers to Kansas City coming out of training camp.

Kennedy out: Defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy tweeted that he was not returning. His tweet: Viking fans, Thank you for accepting me as your own, but Im sorry to imform you I AM NO LONGER With the Team.

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