National Football League

Injured Vikings receiver Sidney Rice walking, Wii-ing, but still not playing

Published Oct. 14, 2010 10:16 a.m. ET

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Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice, who started walking Tuesday after visiting with doctors in Vail, Colo., says injured reserve is not an option after hip surgery in late August.

He also knows that a return on his first eligible date, Oct. 24 at Green Bay, is a bit optimistic. Rice has been on crutches the past seven weeks.

"I'm sure it's going to take a little more time," said Rice, who made the Pro Bowl last season with 1,312 receiving yards. "I haven't done anything in seven weeks."

Rice can walk on a treadmill with full body weight and hasn't had any setbacks, though he's unsure when he can resume football activities. Rice and trainer Eric Sugarman should find out when he can perform football work some time this week, Rice said.

Rice's stint on the physically unable to perform list ends after this week, but the Vikings can place him on a roster exempt list to buy time while he practices.

The addition of Randy Moss doesn't affect Rice's rehab progression or give him any reason to delay his return, Rice said.

"That means when I do get back teams are going to have some trouble," Rice said. "Being able to play with one of the NFL's all-time great receivers is going to be fun. I still have to be patient on my end to make sure I'm healthy before I get back out there."

When asked about Rice's rehab Wednesday, coach Brad Childress didn't go further than details of Rice's video-game playing.

"He was in some rigorous rehab playing Wii here this morning in the training room," Childress said. "He's in the novice Wii stage right now."

Corners still battling: The Vikings' secondary once again is preparing for life without cornerback Cedric Griffin, who faces his second reconstructive knee surgery of 2010 after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Monday night against the Jets.

"That's a huge loss," cornerback Asher Allen said. "Not only is he a leader on our team but especially for the defensive backs. We've got to do big-time picking up where he left off."

To add depth, the team signed seven-year veteran cornerback Frank Walker on Wednesday. He worked out for four other teams after being released by the Baltimore Ravens earlier this year.

Griffin's preseason rehabilitation allowed his practice snaps to be spread among backups Allen and Lito Sheppard. But the Vikings are even more banged up in the secondary with Chris Cook nursing his second knee injury of the season and uncertain about playing Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

There is little time to mourn the loss of Griffin, who tore the ACL in his left knee during January's NFC championship game and didn't return to the starting lineup until Week 3.

The Cowboys boast one of the league's most prolific passing attacks and a pair of big, strong receivers to defend in Roy Williams (6 feet 4, 210 pounds) and Miles Austin (6-3, 215).

"You've just got to harass them," Allen said. "Their size, pushing off, things like that, they create mismatches that way. You still have to throw the ball to them. It's just playing your responsibilities and being there when the ball gets there."

Moving on: Cook is finished stewing about his latest injury setback and is working hard toward returning Sunday against the Cowboys. The rookie cornerback practiced Wednesday, one week after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. It is the same injury he suffered in his right knee during the preseason, so Cook is familiar with the rehabilitation timetable.

"It's getting old quick," he said. "I let it get to me when it first happened. I had the surgery to get it better. I'm not upset about it anymore. I'm just happy to be back."

Cook missed the first two games of the season because of his right knee before making his NFL debut as a starter in Week 3 against Detroit. During the bye week, Cook realized his sore left knee was more than just a bruise so he returned to Minnesota and had a magnetic resonance imaging exam, which revealed the tear.

With Griffin out again, Cook is eager to get back on the field and nail down a starting job for good. "I wouldn't say it's my job because it's not. It's a battle," he said.

Injury/roster report: Cook, defensive end Brian Robison (sprained ankle), safety Madieu Williams (shoulder) and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (hamstring) were limited in Wednesday's practice.

The Vikings held guard Chris DeGeare (ankle), center John Sullivan (calf) and safety Jamarca Sanford (back) out of practice. Sullivan, the starting center, has been battling calf issues since the preseason.

Cornerback Marcus Sherels, cut last month, is back on the practice squad because of depth issues in the secondary. Tight end John Nalbone has been cut from the practice squad.

Quote of note: "That is really a work in progress between Adrian and the other two guys back there."

-- Childress, on backfield blocking from fullback Naufahu Tahi and running backs Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart. The Jets frustrated the Vikings with a delayed safety blitz Monday.

The reporters can be reached at jfowler@pioneerpress.com and brianmurphy@pioneerpress.com .

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