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That said, the Vikings spent plenty of time in their nickel pass defense last season as teams abandoned the run against them. There's no reason to expect anything different this season, meaning that, in reality, their nickel back will have the prominence of a starting corner.

Gordon and McCauley shared the role last season, with Gordon enjoying more success. But the Vikings will be looking for ways to get Johnson -- considered a steal in the second round -- on the field.

In the end, the team could create several different personnel packages and use Johnson in "big nickel" situations against opposing tight ends and slot receivers. Gordon has the best one-on-one cover ability of the three and is the favorite for the traditional nickel role.

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards, expected to start at left end, will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list because of an unspecified back injury that has bothered him for most of the summer. Vikings coach Brad Childress called the injury a "twinge." He said he was not worried about it lingering for a long period of time, but backs are always difficult to evaluate. Jayme Mitchell, a reserve who has played sparingly the past two seasons, will work with the first team when practice opens Friday.

hermes wrote::lol: at me working for ESPN

The Minnesota Vikings finally have gotten all four starters on their celebrated defensive line back on the field.

Tuesday, nose tackle Pat Williams was cleared for team drills after previously taking limited work to protect his surgically-repaired elbow.

On Wednesday, the Vikings activated left end Ray Edwards (back) from the Physically Unable to Perform list. Edwards participated in individual drills Wednesday morning and is on track to start doing team work soon.

Charles Gordon spent much of last season in this role and appears to be the leading candidate to keep it. Benny Sapp, signed to a one-year free-agent contract in March, and second-year corner Marcus McCauley also are in the mix.

Vikings defensive end Brian Robison could be sidelined indefinitely because of a varicose vein in his left leg and might need surgery to correct the problem.

"It will keep me out a little bit of time if I have surgery on it but it's not going to be substantial," he said. "It's not going to go halfway into the season or anything like that. It will be maybe a two- or three-week ordeal and I'll be back at it."