Training camp battles

Other than line play, don't expect a lot of live hitting during Saturday night's under-the-lights practice at Blakeslee Stadium. The old days of the "passing scrimmage" likely are gone forever.

On Friday morning, coach Leslie Frazier said the tackling that took place during Thursday afternoon's practice will be the last live tackling until next week's preseason game at San Francisco.

Still, while training camp features less and less full contact (mainly due to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and the NFL's focus on injuries, especially head injuries), that doesn't mean there aren't some real position battles going on.

Frazier talked about the competition for the No. 3 running back spot, which could be for the No. 2 spot, at least temporarily, depending on when Adrian Peterson comes off the PUP list and is 100 percent ready to play.

"That's a big one," Frazier said. "We're all hoping that Adrian gets back, and he's the player we remember. But you also have to go through the scenario, what if it takes more time than he thinks or that it could take. So that next guy, as opposed to being a third back is now your second back. Do we have the right people to be a second back? ... It does change things."

Lex Hilliard and Jordan Todman are in the mix for that spot, and Frazier said the team will know more by the way they play against the 49ers — Frazier, a couple of times, called it a "scrimmage"—

Totman currently is out with a sprained ankle, although Frazier said he shouldn't be out for too long.

Meanwhile, Frazier said that offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz was sent to the Twin Cities to have tests done on an abdominal strain. With tackle Pat Brown out with a sprained knee, too, Frazier said general manager Rick Spielman will be looking to bring in some linemen for workouts.

"We don't want to go down to 11 or 10 (healthy linemen)," Frazier said.