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Aug 9, 2005 11:52 pm US/Central
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Holdout Over, James Ready To Catch Up In Camp
Mankato, Minn. (AP) ―
Rookie defensive end Erasmus James signed his contract and got ready to join the Minnesota Vikings for a full-contact practice on Tuesday night.
The first-round draft pick from Wisconsin spoke confidently about his conditioning -- as well as his ability to make up for the 10 days of training camp he missed. But James can't expect an overly warm welcome this week, considering his place in the pecking order.
Defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell laughed at the thought of the reception James would likely receive.
"Oh, they're going to kill him," he said. "They're waiting for this guy. He'll probably be singing before every meal."
James' agents finalized particulars of the deal -- essentially a five-year package worth $9.8 million including about $7.5 million in guaranteed money plus some back-loaded incentives that could raise the total value to $12.3 million -- with the team on Tuesday morning.
"I think both sides are at peace," he said. "No bitterness at all."
The contract didn't get done in time, however, for him to participate in practice under some of the muggiest and most unpleasant weather conditions since camp started.
"There have been some pretty hot days out there, and he's missed some of them," Cottrell said, "and they're going to let him know that."
He paused.
"We're waiting for him to get here, too," Cottrell said with a grin.
The best approach seems to be a bring-it-on attitude.
"I'm always ready for anything," James said. "It really doesn't bother me."
James was on the field with his jersey on for Tuesday night's full-contact practice, but he didn't participate. Coach Mike Tice had James do some sprints through a gauntlet-like line of his teammates -- who held their arms up in the air as the rookie ran by.
"I told him, 'Pass your conditioning test, and tomorrow you can go on the field,"' Tice said.
James, taken with the 18th overall pick, has been staying in shape with twice-a-day workouts at a training facility in Arizona for elite athletes, and he soaked up Cottrell's scheme as much as he could during minicamp and developmental camp practices this spring. For those reasons, he feels like he won't be very far behind.
"I haven't put on pads in about a year, so that will be the biggest thing," James said. "After a few days of that, it all kind of equals out."
Tice has already made it clear that James will no longer be slotted in as the starter in nickel pass-rush situations, so he has plenty to do during the rest of August.
"Coming in as a rookie, you've got to work to get to that point anyway, so I felt like I'm at the same place I was when I first got here," James said. "Now I'm going to have to work a little bit harder to get where I want to get to."
James grew up in the Bronx, rooting for the New York Giants -- the same team that owner Zygi Wilf cheered for all his life until buying the Vikings this spring. Wilf and James chatted briefly outside Gage Hall, the dorm where players stay during camp, while vowing to put aside their old allegiance when Minnesota visits the Meadowlands on Nov. 13.
"I told him, 'Don't hold anything back because of any past thoughts you might have had,"' Wilf said.
Though he's not responsible for calling the defense, Wilf is the one paying for that signing bonus -- and he seemed pleased that James showed up in good shape.
"He'll catch up pretty fast," the owner said.
His fellow defensive linemen might need more convincing.
"He's got a lot of catching up to do," end Lance Johnstone said.
"The first week is key," said end Kenechi Udeze, "but I'm pretty sure he's going to put faith in his work ethic."
James, who was born on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts and attended high school in Florida, didn't play football until his senior year. He was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year.
"I keep telling him, 'This isn't the Big Ten anymore,"' Cottrell said. "You're going to go up against some guys who are hungry."
(© 2005 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)