MINNEAPOLIS -- In what could be their final training camp in Mankato, the Minnesota Vikings will ask some of their young players to spend a little more time there.
The Vikings, who announced training camp dates Friday, will have an early reporting date for the first time under coach Mike Zimmer. Rookies, quarterbacks, players with less than one accrued season and select injured players will report on July 23, three days before the rest of the roster is required to check in at Minnesota State University.
The team has typically brought all of its players to camp at the same time but will hold three extra practices and two additional walk-throughs with one segment of its roster. Zimmer said this spring he was focused last year on making sure his team -- which was listed among the NFC favorites after winning a division title in 2015 -- got to the start of the regular season healthy.
"We're going to get back to being the Vikings," he added. "We're going to be blue-collar" in 2017. The extra camp days are one avenue to schedule additional practice time, especially for an 11-member draft class that joins the team a year after the Vikings' 2016 rookie class produced little.
The team's annual evening practice at Blakeslee Stadium, which will be followed by player introductions and fireworks, is scheduled for Aug. 5. This will be the Vikings' 52nd camp at Minnesota State, but they can get out of their deal with the university in December. The team will move into its new practice facility in Eagan, Minnesota, next spring, and chief operating officer Kevin Warren said last month "it's possible" the Vikings will hold their 2018 training camp at the new facility, which includes a 6,500-seat stadium.
Here is the Vikings' full camp schedule (All times Central):
Sunday, July 23: Check-in for rookies, QBs, players with less than one accrued season and select injured players
Monday, July 24: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 2:45-4:30 p.m. practice
Tuesday, July 25: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 2:45-4:30 p.m. practice
Wednesday, July 26: 9-10:45 a.m. practice; check-in for rest of roster
Thursday, July 27: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 3-5 p.m. practice
Friday, July 28: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 3-5 p.m. practice
Saturday, July 29: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 3-5 p.m. practice
Sunday, July 30: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 3-5 p.m. practice
Monday, July 31: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 3-5 p.m. practice
Tuesday, Aug. 1: Players' day off
Wednesday, Aug. 2: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 3-5 p.m. practice
Thursday, Aug. 3: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 3-5 p.m. practice
Friday, Aug. 4: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 3-5 p.m. practice
Saturday, Aug. 5: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 7:15-9:30 p.m. practice in Blakeslee Stadium
Sunday, Aug. 6: Players' day off
Monday, Aug. 7: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 3-5 p.m. practice
Tuesday, Aug. 8: 10:30-11:30 a.m. walk-through; 3-5 p.m. practice
Wednesday, Aug. 9: Travel to Buffalo
Thursday, Aug. 10: First preseason game against Buffalo Bills, 6 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 11: Players' day off