The players and coaching staff have talked about the fact training-camp practices will move at a rapid pace. If Monday’s one-hour plus session was any indication they weren’t kidding. Just practicing in shorts, the tempo was very brisk despite the heat. Things even got physical at times in team drills as rookie corners Cedric Griffin and Charles Gordon were all over the field. On back-to-back plays, Gordon, a free agent from Kansas, made a diving play to break up a pass intended for Dez White and then put a hit on White along the sideline to break up another pass.

Should be interesting to see what guys like Griffin and Gordon do in the first full pads practice at 8:45 this morning. Among the things coach Brad Childress has shown is that he’s not going to tolerate a lack of concentration. At one point, seeing what would have been an offsides penalty, Childress told his players: “There’s no reason for it at all.”

On another note, check out the previous blog entry about Childress’ response to a question regarding the Vikings having 12 receivers on their roster. In his opening comments Monday, Childress came back with research to prove his point that having 12 receivers in camp (five or six will make the team) isn’t rare.

“Just as a note from [Sunday's news conference], NFL training camps, just so you know because it’s good for everybody,” Childress said, warming up. “Offensively, league-wide, the average number of quarterbacks in camps is 4.5 and we have four. For running backs it’s 5.6 and we have five. Fullbacks, 2.8, and we have three. Wide receivers, 11.4, and we have 12. We’re a little high, 0.6 high … ”

And on he went through each position group. “I know you’re curious, so by way of information, there you have it,” Childress said.

Somebody in the Vikings research department needs a raise.

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