Sidney Rice returns to practice
On Wednesday, 3 November, head coach Brad Childress announced that Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice has been taken off the physically unable to perform list and is set to return to practice with the team.
There is no official word as to when Rice is expected to make a full return to the lineup, as Childress and the Vikings staff will take time to see how things develop before adding Rice to the 53-man roster.
In a recent press conference, Childress said, "We'll just see how he progresses here. He's done everything that he can do from a rehabilitation standpoint. There's going to be a conditioning aspect that's got to be met. Obviously, football's a physical game:
the pounding, running on the turf, the full-speed routes. We'll just see how he comes through that."
Rice, now in his fourth season as an NFL pro, had a breakout year last season, catching 83 passes for over 1000 yards and helped the Vikings to the NFC championship.
Rice's return will provide a huge lift to the Vikings offence, who recently dumped the man they had brought in to help them through the air, Randy Moss.
The Vikings other top receiver, Percy Harvin, is also questionable after not participating in Wednesday's practice because of an injury he picked up in the Vikings 28-18 loss to the New England Patriots.
Rice was hurt in last season's 31-28 conference championship loss to the New Orleans Saints and required hip surgery in the off-season.
The Vikings have been a shade of their former selves going 2-5 without Rice so far this season, and are tied with the Detroit Lions for last place in the NFC North.
Early reports are that Rice looked good in practice on Wednesday and, although it's fairly certain he won't be in the lineup for the Vikings' next game against the Arizona Cardinals, the team is optimistic he could make a return as early as the Viking's
week 10 meeting against the Chicago Bears.
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