Roster

Minnesota and linebacker Erin Henderson agreed on a one-year deal on Friday, keeping him with the team. Henderson was one of the few standouts for the Vikings during a trying 3-13 season last year. The Vikings wanted all along to bring Erin Henderson back, but waited for the free agent market to settle down before completing the deal. The delay appeared to irk Henderson, who tweeted his frustrations earlier this week. "Whats crazy is I'm not even asking for big money," Henderson tweeted. "All I want is respectable money for what I'm asked to do." Terms of the deal were not immediately available, but it appears that he got what he wanted. Henderson had said that he was willing to take a hometown discount to stay with the Vikings and around his young son.

Though he made a valiant effort to break the single-season sack record on the final day of the season, Allen finished just short Week 17 against the Bears. He finished with 3 1/2 sacks on the day, giving him 22 for the season. The record is 22 1/2, set by the Giants' Michael Strahan in 2001. “It just shows how tough he is and how hard he plays," said fellow defensive lineman Kevin Williams. "It was a joy to watching him -- I don’t even know what I would do if he would've got another sack. Man, it was unbelievable to watch, he came so close.” Allen had a total of five tackles on the day, three of them solo.

The Vikings signed FB Ryan D'Imperio to their 53-man roster on Tuesday. To make room, the team waived TE Allen Reisner.

According to 1500ESPN.com, the Vikings agreed to a one-year deal with wide receiver Devin Aromashodu on Friday.

The Vikings placed WR Stephen Burton on injured reserve Monday with a knee injury. WR Emmanuel Arceneaux was promoted to the active roster to take Burton's roster spot.

Knee - IR. Out for the season

While the Vikings will deal with receiver Jerome Simpson missing the first three games of the year, they're ultimately happy with his arrival in town. Minnesota's been looking for a legit deep-speed receiver for several years, and according to offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, it has one in Simpson. "He's a legitimate split end," Musgrave told KSTP-AM. "He has speed to threaten down the field and also get in and out of breaks and beat man coverage."

Suspension - Eligible to return Week 4 at Detroit

The Vikings placed WR Stephen Burton on injured reserve Monday with a knee injury. WR Emmanuel Arceneaux was promoted to the active roster to take Burton's roster spot.

The Vikings inactives for Sunday's game at Carolina are WR Jaymar Johnson, RB Albert Young, CB Karl Paymah, TE Garrett Mills, LB Jeremy Leman, and DT Letroy Guion. Sage Rosenfels is the third quarteback.

The Vikings spent five of 10 draft picks on defense, including a first-round pick on Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. In addition, the Vikings spent two picks on cornerbacks in Central Florida's Josh Robinson and Notre Dame's Robert Blanton along with two picks toward the front of the defense in N.C. State linebacker Audie Cole and Cal defensive end Trevor Guyton.

In addition to his usual high number of tackles, Vikings LB Chad Greenway picked up a sack -- his second of the season -- Week 17 against the Bears. His eight tackles (six solo) give him a total of 152 on the season.

The Vikings drafted five defenders in April: Iowa DE Christian Ballard (Round 4), Utah CB Brandon Burton (Round 5), USF safety Mistral Raymond (Round 6), Ohio State LB Ross Homan (Round 6) and Arizona DE D'Aundre Reed (Round 7).

The Vikings announced Monday that they have waived wide receiver Kris Adams.

The Vikings have re-signed defensive tackle Fred Evans.

The Minnesota Vikings have signed linebacker Marvin Mitchell. Mitchell was a seventh-round draft pick by New Orleans in 2007 who spent four seasons with the Saints and last year with Miami. He had 30 tackles, two forced fumbles, one sack and one interception last season for the Dolphins.

None of the following Vikings players had any offensive stats in Week 6 vs. Detroit: QB Trent Jackson, RB Naufahu Tahi, RB Maurice Hicks, TE Garrett Mills, LS Cullen Loeffler and WR Aundrae Allison.

FOXSports.com reports Monday that quarterback Sage Rosenfels has agreed to terms on a new contract with the Vikings. Rosenfels was claimed off waivers by Minnesota last season following the team’s release of quarterback Donovan McNabb. Rosenfels spent time with Miami and the New York Giants in 2011 but ended his stints with both on injury lists because of a virus. Rosenfels was originally acquired by the Vikings in a 2009 trade with Houston. He was expected to compete for a starting spot before Minnesota signed Brett Favre. Rosenfels is expected to compete in Minnesota with Joe Webb for the backup spot behind Christian Ponder.

The Vikings spent five of 10 draft picks on defense, including a first-round pick on Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. In addition, the Vikings spent two picks on cornerbacks in Central Florida's Josh Robinson and Notre Dame's Robert Blanton along with two picks toward the front of the defense in N.C. State linebacker Audie Cole and Cal defensive end Trevor Guyton.

Minnesota TE Kyle Rudolph caught the only two passes a tight end saw from Vikings quarterbacks on Saturday in the Week 16 win at Washington. Rudolph hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass from Joe Webb late in the third quarter after starting QB Christian Ponder got injured with a concussion. Rudolph finished the game with two catches for 23 yards and the TD.

The Vikings re-signed DB Marcus Sherels to their practice squad on Wednesday.

Vikings DL Everson Griffen recorded his first sack in four games Week 12 at Atlanta. It was his fourth of the season. The sack was his only tackle on the day.

Notable players cut by the Packers on Saturday include: WR Diondre Borel, S Anthony Bratton, NT Chris Donaldson, LB Ricky Elmore, CB Josh Gordy, WR Tori Gurley, QB Graham Harrell, FB Jon Hoese, LB Cardia Jackson, DE Eli Joseph, LB Elijah Joseph, S Anthony Levine, RB Dimitri Nance, CB Brandian Ross, NT Jay Ross, RB Brandon Saine, WR Kerry Taylor, S/CB Brandon Underwood and WR Chastin West.

The Chargers signed Curtis Brinkley from the practice squad on Saturday and unexpectedly waived RB Jordan Todman in a counter move.

Vikings DL Kevin Williams, who went his first seven games without a sack, now has two straight with a sack after recording one Week 12 at Atlanta. He finished with two tackles, including one solo, and also had a forced fumble in the contest.

The Vikings added more depth at cornerback, agreeing to a contract with veteran Chris Carr, according to The Sports Xchange. Carr is the second cornerback signed in 10 days, joining Zackary Bowman (Bears), at a position thinned by injuries last season. Antoine Winfield and Chris Cook are expected to enter training camp as the team's starters.

Notable Vikings players let go on Saturday include: TE Jeff Dugan, LB Heath Farwell, DE Stylez G. White, DE David Akinniyi, WR Emmanuel Arceneaux, FB Matt Asiata, WR Stephen Burton, DB Tony Carter, RB Tristan Davis, FB Ryan D'Imperio, LB David Herron, DB Ryan Hill, LB Ross Homan, WR Juaquin Iglesias, WR Jaymar Johnson, DT Tremaine Johnson, RB Caleb King, DE Cedric McKinley, DB Cord Parks, RB Alexander Robinson and DB Devon Torrence.

The Vikings spent five of 10 draft picks on defense, including a first-round pick on Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. In addition, the Vikings spent two picks on cornerbacks in Central Florida's Josh Robinson and Notre Dame's Robert Blanton along with two picks toward the front of the defense in N.C. State linebacker Audie Cole and Cal defensive end Trevor Guyton.

The Dolphins reached the decision on the final 53 players they will carry heading into the season, so they let several players go. Among the released were QBs Kevin O’ Connell and Pat Devlin, CB Vincent Agnew, TE Brett Brackett, WR Patrick Carter, TE Dedrick Epps, LB Jonathan Freeny, RB Nic Grigsby, WR Phillip Livas, WR John Matthews, CB Nate Ness, LB David Nixon, WR Julius Pruitt, S Mark Restelli, LB Robert Rose, TE Mickey Shuler, LB Quinton Spears, S Gerald Alexander, CB Will Allen, FB Lousaka Polite and NT Ronald Fields.

Minnesota DB Asher Allen left in the first quarter of Week 15 against New Orleans with concussion-like symptoms. His return is doubtful. Allen finished with two tackles before departing and was replaced by DB Benny Sapp at cornerback.

Vikings running back Toby Gerhart suffered a MCL tear late last season that didn't require surgery. According to the bruising rusher, he says he's feeling better and will be ready for the start of the season. "I've been able to work through it pretty nicely," he said during a recent offseason workout. "Coming back, it's getting better and better, just rehabbing the last few months. Being back out here taking care of it -- it's feeling good running around."

Knee - Probable for start of training camp

The Bills signed unrestricted free agent TE Tyson DeVree while waiving LB Solomon Elimimian and WR Shaine Smith and Waived/Injured TE Travis McCall, DB Lydell Sargeant and DT Marcus Smith.

Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin posted on Twitter Monday that he will need shoulder surgery. "Just found out I will need surgery on shoulder," he wrote, adding later "Recovery should be quick I will be ready for otas." Harvin's shoulder surgery will be a "clean up" procedure, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. He should be fine for the start of the season.

Shoulder - Probable for start of training camp

Vikings wide receiver Michael Jenkins, who tore the meniscus in his knee late last season, is healed and will be joining the team for OTAs on May 30, according to a text he sent the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Jenkins will see some competition when he returns to the field, as the Vikings signed Jerome Simpson and drafted rookie WRs Greg Childs and Jarius Wright.

Knee - Probable for start of training camp

The Buccaneers cut three players on Friday. The players released were LB Tyrone McKenzie, DL Kyle Moore and DL John McCargo.

Just over a week ago, Adrian Peterson stood in front of the media in Minnesota and said his goal remained to be ready for the start of the regular season. Now, as he continues his rehab from a torn ACL, Peterson told ESPN that he's not sure he can make that goal. "To be honest with you I feel like 50-50," he said. "I feel like honestly, sitting here telling you the truth, I'll be able to participate doing certain things. I think I'll be able to participate. ... I feel like I will be able to get out there and you call a run play or whatever, I'll be able to go through practice. That's how I feel. That's my mindset; but I'm going to follow the protocol. Whatever the Vikings and their staff want me to do, then I'm gonna do that; but I'm not going to hinder myself. I'm going to let those guys know how I feel, so if I'm able to get out there and get a couple of reps or whatever, then I'm going to participate in that way. But I'm sure they've got my best interests in hand, so we'll work it out."

Knee - Questionable for start of 2012 training camp

The Vikings spent five of 10 draft picks on defense, including a first-round pick on Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. In addition, the Vikings spent two picks on cornerbacks in Central Florida's Josh Robinson and Notre Dame's Robert Blanton along with two picks toward the front of the defense in N.C. State linebacker Audie Cole and Cal defensive end Trevor Guyton.

The Vikings released tight end Daniel Hardy on Wednesday to make room for their new rookie additions.

The Vikings have released veteran placekicker Ryan Longwell, who had three years remaining on his contract. The 37-year-old veteran of 15 seasons, including six with the Vikings, saw his job become tenuous when the team selected Georgia kicker Blair Walsh in the sixth round, and even more so when coach Leslie Frazier said last week keeping two kickers was "not in the thinking right now."

Minnesota DB Jamarca Sanford posted eight tackles during the Vikings' 42-20 loss to New Orleans in Week 15. Sanford has now recorded eight tackles in consecutive games to help boost his total to 64 stops this season -- a career high.

Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier told the media at the NFL Combine that Joe Webb will remain a quarterback with the team and not have the opportunity to work as a receiver or any other position. "Although he can do a lot of different things, we really want to see him develop at the quarterback position," Frazier said. "We're leaning, as we speak today, toward moving away from some of those other things he's capable of doing."

Vikings running back Caleb King was released from jail with no charges filed against him on Tuesday, three days after being arrested in an alleged beating outside a birthday party last weekend. But that didn't stop the Vikings from cutting ties with the former University of Georgia standout. The Vikings cut King just hours after he was released from jail. The team did not comment on the decision, instead announcing it in a one-sentence press release. Anoka Count Sheriff's Cmdr. Paul Sommer said on Saturday that a 22-year-old man suffered "a very serious brain injury," a fractured skull and cuts on his face that required more than 50 stitches to close in an alleged altercation that started after the man allegedly teased the 24-year-old King about his resemblance to an unspecified celebrity. Authorities said King denied assaulting the man and told detectives the man fell to the ground when King was talking to him.

The Vikings signed fullback Jerome Felton on Tuesday. The 25-year-old Felton spent his first three seasons with the Lions, then played nine games for the Panthers last season before being cut, only to sign with and appear in the final five games for Indianapolis.

The 49ers cut down the roster by 26 on Saturday to get to the league-mandated 53 players on deadline. Among the casualties were WRs Ronald Johnson, Joe Hastings, Lance Long and Chris Hogan, CBs Phillip Adams, Phillip Davis, and Cory Nelms, LB Alex Joseph, TE Nate Lawrie, C Chase Beeler, QB McLeod Bethel-Thomspon, FB Jack Corcoran, DT Brian Bulcke, S Chris Maragos, RB Xavier Omon, TE Konrad Reuland, LB Monte Simmons, LB Kenny Rowe, NT Sealver Siliga, FS Curtis Taylor, and DB Anthony West.

The Jets waived DB Andrew Sendejo on Tuesday.

The Minnesota Vikings released a statement Monday indicating that DB Chris Cook will remain with the team for now. Cook was suspended on Oct. 26 due to a legal issue. According to the statement: “Chris Cook will remain on our 53-man roster but will not participate in our football activities at this time. We have met with Chris and spoken with his agent and have agreed that currently Chris should focus on his off-the-field matters.”

Vikings safety Eric Frampton left the Week 10 game at Chicago with a hamstring injury.

The Vikings have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with former Dolphins running back Lex Hilliard. At 27 years old, the versatile Hilliard is 5-foot-11, 240 pounds and can play both TB and FB. Hilliard started four games last season for Miami and is known as a good blocker and capable runner.

Minnesota signed tight end John Carlson to a five-year deal worth $25 million on Wednesday. Carlson missed the entire 2011 season and had arthroscopic surgery to repair his torn labrum in his shoulder back in September.

The Vikings drafted five defenders in April: Iowa DE Christian Ballard (Round 4), Utah CB Brandon Burton (Round 5), USF safety Mistral Raymond (Round 6), Ohio State LB Ross Homan (Round 6) and Arizona DE D'Aundre Reed (Round 7).

Vikings DL Brian Robison recorded another sack Week 17 against the Bears, giving him one in back-to-back games to close out the season. He also had three tackles, including two solo, and a forced fumble in the contest. Robison finishes the year with eight sacks, almost doubling his previous career high of 4 1/2.

The Redskins cut down to the league-mandated 53 layers on Saturday. Among the released hopefuls were WR Isaac Anderson, LB Horatio Blades, NT Anthony Bryant, QB Kellen Clemens, TE Tony Curtis, RB Shaun Draughn, LB Thaddeus Gibson, QB Matt Gutierrez, S Chris Horton, LB Edgar Jones, CB Reggie Jones, WR Aldrick Robinson, S Anderson Russell, TE Derek Schouman, S Davonte Shannon, DE Jeff Stehle and DE Doug Worthington.

The Vikings have selected Arkansas receiver Jarius Wright with a fourth round pick in the NFL Draft. Wright caught 66 passes for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Razorbacks last season and holds the school's career records for catches (168) and yards (2,934) and is second in school history with 24 touchdowns.

The Buccaneers released defensive ends Tim Crowder and Nick Reed. Crowder has spent the past three seasons with the Buccaneers, playing in 41 games with 13 starts. In 2011, he played in 10 games and had 14 tackles. Reed joined the team for the final three games in 2011 and had two tackles.

The Vikings selected Arkansas receiver Greg Childs with a fourth-round pick in the NFL Draft. Childs, 6-foot-3 and 219 pounds, got off to a promising start with the Razorbacks but suffered a left knee injury in the eighth game of his junior season and was limited last year to 21 catches for 240 yards and no touchdowns. The Vikings believe he has recovered from his torn patella tendon injury. "He looks fully, 100-percent healthy, and we are looking to get the player we saw in 2010 and 2009 -- that big outside receiver with big play ability," said general manager Rick Spielman.

With TE Kyle Rudolph doubtful for Week 12, the Vikings have brought TE Allen Reisner up from their practice squad, waiving WR Stephen Burton to make room.

The San Diego Chargers have released cornerback Dante Hughes and waived linebackers Everette Brown and Nate Triplett, and wide receiver Bryan Walters.

The Minnesota Vikings have selected Southern Cal tight end Rhett Ellison with a fourth-round selection in the NFL Draft. The 250-pounder can also play fullback and could be a replacement for Jim Kleinsasser, the long-time Vikings battering ram who retired after the season. Ellison caught 21 passes for 239 yards and three touchdowns for the Trojans last season.

With the 29th pick in the NFL Draft (that they acquired in a trade from the Ravens), the Vikings selected Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. Smith is 6-2 and 213 pounds and was a four-year starter and senior captain for the Fighting Irish. He fills a huge hole in the Vikings secondary. Smith says his strongest asset coming into the NFL is his versatility, and that is just what the Vikings are looking for. “With our (system), the safeties have to be interchangeable,” general manager Rick Spielman said. “They have to be able to play both strong and free. He’s very effective in the box and he does have range.”

Minnesota DB Mistral Raymond came up with the big interception on Saturday of Week 16 at Washington. The Vikings had not intercepted a pass in 10 games before Raymond picked off QB Rex Grossman. Raymond finished with six tackles in the game and two passes defended.

The Vikings drafted five defenders in April: Iowa DE Christian Ballard (Round 4), Utah CB Brandon Burton (Round 5), USF safety Mistral Raymond (Round 6), Ohio State LB Ross Homan (Round 6) and Arizona DE D'Aundre Reed (Round 7).

Vikings LB Jasper Brinkley will miss the 2011 season after the team put him on injured reserve with a hip injury.

Hip - IR. Out for the season

Vikings CB Antoine Winfield is reportedly close to being ready to play football after suffering a broken collarbone last season. The St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports that he's ahead of schedule on his recovery and is feeling no side effects from the surgery.

Clavicle - Probable for start of training camp

The Vikings signed former Bears cornerback Zack Bowman to a one-year deal, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The 27-yeard -old Bowman had his best season in 2009 with 66 tackles and six interceptions. His production dropped off the past two seasons, but the Vikings are hoping he will rebound in 2012.

A year ago, Christian Ponder got ready for the season away from the Vikings' facilities, which made it a challenge for him to truly prepare. No such problems this season, and Ponder is capitalizing on it. The quarterback has watched his team add talent via free agency (receiver Jerome Simpson, tight end John Carlson) and the draft (tackle Matt Kalil and receivers Jarius Wright and Greg Childs), and he feels the time is right for him to step up. After working out with the likes of Simpson this week, Ponder's optimistic for the upcoming season. He's prepared for it by adding some muscle. "I had some injuries last year (and) I can try to help myself not get injured next year,” he said. "(I'm) doing a lot of stuff in the weight room, the training room, doing yoga. (I am preparing) myself to be in the best physical shape as possible for this coming season."

The Browns released DB DeAndre Wright from their practice squad on Wednesday.