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MINNEAPOLIS - Brock Lesnar has no chance of making the Vikings final roster and a slim chance of surviving the first 13 cuts. At this point, it's doubtful he'll even be added to the practice squad.
"I definitely was upset at first, but the thing about Brock is he flat-out earned my respect the past four weeks," Vikings defensive line coach Brian Baker said. "I don't know how else to put it."
That is the consensus among assistant coaches and players who once were skeptical the Lesnar signing was anything more than a publicity stunt by the Vikings and/or World Wrestling Entertainment, Lesnar's former employer.
Said Pro Bowl center Matt Birk : "Brock didn't come in here thinking he was a big shot. He took it seriously and kept his mouth shut."
Unfortunately for Lesnar, his nine-year layoff from football and lack of college experience have proved impossible to overcome in one training camp. After an initial boost, his progress at defensive tackle leveled off.
"I know it's not feasible for them to keep me around (after the first cuts on Tuesday)," Lesnar said. "These other guys have been doing this stuff their whole lives. Me? I'm only doing the best I can."
Lesnar said he remains hopeful of making the practice squad. He said he hasn't allowed himself to think about a Plan B, even though he got only three snaps in the last preseason game at Atlanta.
Ed Hitchcock, Lesnar's agent, said he doesn't expect Lesnar to walk away from football without exhausting all of his opportunities. One of those could include a stint in NFL Europe next spring.
Lesnar's age, 27, and years of wear and tear from pro and amateur wrestling at the University of Minnesota are working against him in football. Lesnar hasn't ruled out a return to the WWE, although he might try something different, such as endorsements.
COWBOYS: The Dallas Cowboys Channel, a 24-hour cable network devoted to America's Team, will launch Sept. 8 and be available to more than 1.3-million Comcast subscribers in Texas and adjoining states. The network will offer original programming, including broadcasts of coach Bill Parcells' news conferences.
FALCONS: Atlanta signed guard Kynan Forney to a four-year extension, preventing him from becoming a free agent after the season. ESPN reported Forney would receive about $12-million through 2008. He has a base salary of $460,000 this season, the final year of his previous contract.