"I've never been coached the right way," the cornerback said. "I thought I had it all down pat but it's different. It's a different team. These guys are coaching corners. They're not just coaching the defense, they are coaching their positions and taking time out and giving you that individual (attention). I never had that since high school."

The coaching being done by defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, defensive backs coach Joe Woods and his assistant Derek Mason appears to be paying off. Sapp, signed to a one-year contract that will earn him in the neighborhood of $800,000, has been one of the biggest surprises in training camp so far.

He has picked off numerous passes and appears to have the ability to read the play a split second before it develops. But not everything has gone smoothly.

Sapp also has the tendency to bite on double moves and has been burned in spectacular fashion on a few plays. Sapp knows this an area he needs to improve on and has been working on it.

"That's what I'm having a little problem with," he said. "It's camp, it's still early. It's something you work on. It's practice. That's what I'm working on right now. I've been playing corner for a long time and I've been trying to get to this point. I think I'm getting there. I'm just working on it every day to get better to help the team."

Upon his arrival with the Vikings, Sapp said his goal is to win a starting job. At this point, that's probably not realistic unless there is an injury. Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield have the starting spots locked down. But the nickel job is an open competition between Charles Gordon, Marcus McCauley and Sapp.

Gordon is the front-runner but a knee injury that has sidelined McCauley has given Sapp a chance to get a leg up.

"This defense suits me a lot," Sapp said. "Coach lets you be aggressive."

CAMP CALENDAR: The Vikings will break camp from Mankato, Minn., on Aug. 15.