--Pro Bowl DT Kevin Williams remains confident he will win his court case against the NFL and thus be allowed to play in the season opener. Kevin and Pat Williams have a June 15 trial date in their case involving the use of a banned diuretic that resulted in four-game suspensions. The players received an injunction that allowed them to finish the 2008 season. If upheld, the suspensions would begin at the start of next season.
"They set the (trial) date and whatever comes out of that, comes out of that," Kevin Williams said. "But our mind frame is, we'll be ready when the season kicks off."
--DE Jared Allen will take part in some -- but not all -- of the voluntary portion of the Vikings' offseason program. This is because Allen prefers to spend some of his time doing Mixed Martial Arts training at his home in Arizona and then mix that in with sessions with the team. The Vikings are on board with the schedule and Allen, whose conditioning is never a question mark, does not have a workout bonus in his contract because of the understanding.
--The Vikings continue negotiations on a contract extension with cornerback Antoine Winfield, whose current contract expires at the end of the 2009 season. Winfield has been taking part in the Vikings' voluntary offseason conditioning program.
--Coach Brad Childress opened the door for right tackle Ryan Cook to get some reps at center this offseason and in training camp. Cook, however, said he has not heard about that possibility. Cook, who lost his starting job at one point last season, said he would be willing to move to center, the position he played in college.
--OL Marcus Johnson's decision to sign with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent has closed the door on the Vikings' 2005 draft class. The team has no players left from a draft that included two first-round picks in wide receiver Tory Williamson and defensive end Erasmus James. The Vikings had no interest in re-signing Johnson, who was a second-round pick that year.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's obviously a need they needed to fill. It was such a weird situation going down in Denver. Somebody was bound to get him. I think it's good for them. They obviously improved that part of their team. We'll see what happens. I played him a couple of times and know what type of quarterback he is. We'll have to get after him." -- Linebacker Ben Leber asked for his reaction to the fact the Vikings' NFC North rivals, the Chicago Bears, acquired quarterback Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos.
