--CB Karl Paymah, signed as a free agent from Denver, doesn't seem to lack any confidence in his ability to make an impact in the nickel package and playing on special teams.

"I've got the size (6-0, 195 pounds) and speed to make an impact right away," he said. "Leslie (Frazier) expressed interest in me as far as speed and covering the little faster guys like (Devin) Hester and the bigger

guys like [Calvin] Johnson in Detroit. Those guys like that, that's what I'm here for."

--The Vikings will open their season with back-to-back road games for the first time since 1997. Because the Twins are playing at the Metrodome the first two weeks, the Vikings will open Sept. 13 at Cleveland and then play the Lions on Sept. 20 at Ford Field in Detroit.

--Despite having to face the Super Bowl champions Pittsburgh Steelers, the Vikings' schedule shapes up as the second-easiest in the league when it comes to strength of schedule. According to NFL.com, the Vikings' 2009 opponents had a .420 winning percentage (107-148-1) last season and nine of the teams the Vikings will play had losing records in 2008. Only the .414 winning percentage (105-149-2) accumulated by the Chicago Bears' foes is worse.

--QB Sage Rosenfels, obtained in February from Houston, and wide receiver Sidney Rice continue their negotiations for jersey No. 18. Rice has that number and Rosenfels wants it.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "You don't want to bring in a guy that the coaches don't want. That's where you kind of get into some scenarios that, 'OK, why don't we want this guy in? Does he fit our offense? Is it the type of character guy (we want)?' That's why I said we do this as a whole ... everybody gets to weigh in their opinions and we decide what's best for the organization and we'll go from there." -- Rick Spielman, Vikings vice president of player personnel, on the importance of the coaching staff being on board with the players he wants to draft.