This was the last practice where the rookies were involved, and John Carlson and Lawrence Jackson and Owen Schmitt and the others were hustling into the building afterward to get their stuff and take showers before their flights home.

Jackson, Carlson and Red Bryant all echoed similar sentiments: They were rusty, they learned some new things, the players are all much bigger and faster than college and the speed of the game presents issues. But they said they were happy to meet their teammates and get a feel for what they have to do. Carlson spoke about how complex Holmgren's offense is. He is heading back to Notre Dame instead of back to Litchfield, MN. Jackson is going back to LA to work out at USC's facilities until they get back here in two weeks, and Bryant is heading back to Texas.

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Bryant may be saying he struggled and that he needs to learn technique, but I thought he had the best camp of any of the rookies. On top of the stuff he did yesterday, he had two great plays today, blowing up Pat Murray and blowing past Matt Alfred. This is how raw and country he is: John Clayton came out to practice today, and after Bryant was done with his interviews he comes walking past us to the locker room, turns to us and with this clay-bennett-to-david-stern sycophantic look in his eye, says, "That was John Clayton." I'm pretty sure JC already has him earmarked as rookie of the year.

It was a very spirited practice with the defense getting vocal when the sides were playing against each other. Marcus Trufant made a nice interception of a Matt Hasselbeck pass, stepping in front of Courtney Taylor. Jackson got into the backfield unimpeded and knocked a Seneca Wallace pass. And safety Jamar Adams made a nice play to intercept a Charlie Frye pass. One dropped pass that I saw was Jeb Putzier missing a well-thrown Frye pass while he was being defended by Lance Laury.

Rookie kicker Brandon Coutu tried to kick a few 60-yarders, but he came up well shy. He made a 48-yarder pretty easily, but three or four attempts at 60 did not come close. There was a light breeze at his back.

Veterans voluntary camp is tomorrow. There will be far fewer players on the field than there have been the past three days.