Movie night for players, coaches

As a form of building team chemistry, the Vikings players and coaches attended the movie Red 2 on Monday night.

There was popcorn and soda for the players, and coach Leslie Frazier said the movie held the attention of the group. However, he put himself in charge of choosing the movie.

"I've had other guys pick it before," Frazier said with a smile. "This time, I got involved."

Frazier said he's looking for the offense to get some first downs and the defense make some stops in Friday's preseason game at Buffalo, where both starting units will likely play into the second quarter, depending on the number of snaps.

Frazier said that cornerbacks Josh Robinson and Xavier Rhodes will get a lot of work in the next two preseason games as the Vikings try to determine their roles. Frazier said the secondary, which lacks a proven veteran, will be a key area to keep an eye on.

Frazier also talked about rookie punter Jeff Locke, who downed two punts at the 10 or better and had another 48-yarder in the preseason game. Locke also had two punts that weren't very good. Frazier said he's confident in Locke, but he needs to understand the magnitude of each kick, given that the Vikings are built to win with field position and turnovers.

Frazier said that rookie linebacker Michael Mauti will sit out the afternoon practice because of a sore knee. Defensive tackle Christian Ballard, who has missed a couple days with a sore groin, may return today.