At one point during the afternoon practice, in a short-yardage drill, Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said he looked at running backs coach James Saxon, who asked if it was OK with him that running back Adrian Peterson take part in the full-contact drill.
"Yes, I am," Frazier said, cracking a big smile.
Frazier, the former defensive coordinator, was clearly pleased with the full-contact workout, smiling as he left the practice field. The team did several short-yardage drills, with the defense stuffing nearly every play. On one, however, Toby Gerhart broke around the right end and dived past the pylon just before the defense pushed him out.
Peterson did show off his receiving skills, making two catches on patterns down the sideline. "That's something he wants to do," Frazier said. "He wants to stay in the game on third down, and to do that, he has to do what he did today."
Peterson returned to practice Friday after missing three days to be with his fiancee for the birth of the couple's son.
Quarterback Joe Webb made several good throws Friday, including the one to Peterson. On a 50-yard pass, he hit Jaymar Johnson, who made a diving catch in the end zone.
Rookie quarterba ck Christian Ponder wasn't so good, throwing one pass right to cornerback Devon Torrence, who would have scored an easy touchdown. "It's called being a rookie in the National Football League," Frazier said. "There's going to be other days like that, and he's going to have a lot of good days, too."
The physical practice did incite a couple minors scraps between players. Tackle Phil Loadholt and rookie defensive end D'Aundre Reed had a short flareup, followed by another between receiver Percy Harvin and safety Eric Frampton.
Linebacker Kenny Onatolu continues to wear a walking boot on his injured ankle. Rookie cornerback Marcell Gipson left camp to attend to a family problem.
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