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That gave Maurice Hicks a chance to show off a few moves when the Minnesota Vikings began to run the ball in the second quarter of Friday’s exhibition against the Seattle Seahawks.
Signed as a free agent to be the primary kickoff returner, Hicks will move into the departed Mewelde Moore’s role as the No. 3 running back — ready to move up in case of injury but not expected to get very many carries beyond a third down or two. Not with the NFL’s reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year and a former 1,200-yard rusher in front of him.
Hicks has established himself as a reliable runner. On six first-half attempts against the Seahawks, he totaled 37 yards. He also caught one pass for eight yards, though he lost a fumble in the third quarter.
Last year, Hicks averaged 5.6 yards per carry for San Francisco — running 21 times for 117 yards and a score. In 2005 for the 49ers, Hicks had 59 attempts for 308 yards and three touchdowns — including a 73-yarder. His mark has been made as a kickoff returner, though. He caught the Vikings’ attention with a season-long 55-yard runback when they played in San Francisco last December.
GRIGSBY GAINING? With Brian Robison recovering from surgery to address a varicose vein problem in his leg and Kenechi Udeze of course sitting out the season while he recovers from leukemia, the Vikings saw their depth at defensive end dwindle a bit more when Jayme Mitchell walked off with an injured ankle in the first quarter.
That opened up further opportunity for Otis Grigsby to play. Grigsby, who was signed off Carolina’s practice squad last December, has had a productive camp as he tries to stick with a team after several visits to the waiver wire since entering the league in 2003 after a college career at Kentucky.
Grigsby made Miami’s roster as an undrafted rookie, but didn’t appear in any games that season and was released at the end of training camp the next year. He was a camp cut by Atlanta in 2005, and then by Carolina in 2006. Finally, he made it with the Panthers last season — appearing in four games before Minnesota grabbed him and had him on the active roster for four more games. Grigsby had his first career sack and a forced fumble against San Francisco in December.
“He’s a smart guy, and his motor runs hot all the time,” coach Brad Childress said this week. “He is getting better, being a year into this thing.”
LOCAL CONNECTIONS: Former Gophers receiver Logan Payne was among 15 players who sat out for various reasons for the Seahawks. Payne, who spent his rookie season on Seattle’s practice squad, has cracked ribs.
But several others in the Seahawks contingent were in familiar surroundings in Minnesota on Friday. Two former Vikings starters, receiver Nate Burleson and safety Brian Russell, are in Seattle’s lineup. Rookie tight end John Carlson, who played at Notre Dame, is a former multi-sport star from Litchfield High School.
Tight end coach Jim Lind played at two Minnesota colleges (Bethel and Bemidji State) and coached at three more (St. Cloud State, St. John’s and Minnesota-Morris). Also, Seahawks chief executive officer Tod Leiweke was president of the Minnesota Wild before leaving for Seattle.
CLOSE SHAVE: After sporting a goatee for the first week of training camp, Childress has shaved his chin clean and gone back to the old push-broom mustache.
“Yeah, I got bored with it,” he said. “I think the next step is something along the Errol Flynn line, maybe a little pencil mustache. We could have a few phases before then. You never know.”
QUICK HITS: Ryan Longwell was held out of the action, too, allowing rookie Steven Hauschka the opportunity to take all the kicks. He nailed a couple of extra points, and made a 35-yard field goal at the end of the first half. Hauschka has put his plans to become a dentist on hold to pursue this career as a kicker. He was at Division III Middlebury College in Vermont before finishing at North Carolina State. ... Brooks Bollinger, whose roster spot is in doubt after John David Booty was drafted in the fifth round out of Southern California, was given only two series with the offense in the third quarter. Bollinger’s night ended with a fumble.
