NFL Notebook: Harvin, Vikings' top pick, severely dehydrated

By: JournalNow Staff | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: May 02, 2009

■ Vikings: Percy Harvin, the team's first-round draft pick, has been hospitalized with severe dehydration

Coach Brad Childress said Harvin became ill on Thursday on a flight to Atlanta. From there he was scheduled to continue to the Twin Cities for the team's weekend rookie minicamp.

But Harvin, a wide receiver, vomited on the flight and was sent to an Atlanta hospital as a precaution. Childress also says doctors ruled out the swine flu.

Harvin was picked by the Vikings in the first round with the 22nd overall pick in the NFL Draft last weekend.

Childress said Harvin is expected to be released from the hospital in a day or two.

■ Lions: Coach Jim Schwartz said quarterback Matthew Stafford was "overanxious" in his first day on the practice field with the team.

Schwartz, the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, was joined yesterday by tight end Brandon Pettigrew, a fellow first-round pick, the rest of Detroit's selections last weekend and undrafted prospects such as D.J. Boldin and Gerald Riggs Jr.

Schwartz said that once Stafford settled in, he was much more effective. Schwartz said Stafford's footwork was good and his release was excellent.

■ Steelers: Wide receiver Shaun McDonald, punter Dirk Johnson and cornerback Keiwan Ratliff were among five free agents who signed with Pittsburgh before the start of their minicamp yesterday.

McDonald was a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2003 before signing with the Lions in 2007. He led Detroit with 79 catches for 943 yards and six touchdowns that season and had 35 catches and one touchdown last season.

Ratliff was a second-round pick by the Bengals in 2004 before spending part of the 2007 and 2008 seasons with the Colts.

The Steelers annually bring in a kicker and punter to compete with their starters during training camp, and will do so again after signing Johnson and kicker Piotr Czech.

Johnson averaged 41.8 yards on 40 punts last season before being cut by Arizona in December. He has punted for the Saints, Eagles, Bears and Cardinals since 2002. Czech, from Wagner College, went to training camp with the Ravens last season but was cut.

The Steelers also signed wide receiver Jayson Foster, who spent time on their practice squad last season. They cut long snapper Jared Retkofsky, who signed after starter Greg Warren injured a knee at midseason last year.

■ Jets: New York has signed 17 undrafted free agents to participate in its rookie minicamp, including Chris Pizzotti, a former Harvard quarterback.

Pizzotti, a two-time All-Ivy League selection who passed for 5,675 yards and 37 touchdowns for the Crimson, joined fifth pick Mark Sanchez and former Arkansas star Casey Dick yesterday as quarterbacks in the three-day camp.

Also signed were: tight ends J'Nathan Bullock, Andrew Davie and Rob Myers; punter T.J. Conley; safeties Emanuel Cook and Keith Fitzhugh; wide receiver Britt Davis; offensive linemen Kyle Link, Ryan McKee, Michael Parenton and Tavita Thompson; defensive linemen Matt Kroul, Zach Potter, Ty Steinkuhler and DE Jamaal Westerman; and fullback Brannan Southerland.