MANKATO -- Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb used what happened to him in Washington last year to explain why he's comfortable with just a one-year deal with the Vikings this season.

"Every year is a one-year deal, no matter what you sign for, because you have to go out and compete at a high level," McNabb said after the final practice in Mankato this morning. "You know, you seen last year I extended my contract and you seen what happened to me."

There was laughter at that point (sorry Donovan), but McNabb rolled with it, pointed, smiled and said, "It's funny, huh. So now you know what I'm talking about. But the whole thing about it is I don't even look at it in that situation. This is year 13 for me. Every year is very important. I look forward to just coming out this year and just playing the way that I know I can play and everything else will take care of itself."

McNabb also was asked how long he thinks it will take for this brand new offense to become comfortable for everybody.

"I don't think it will take long at all," he said. "Hopefully by the third preseason game we'll have things clicking and start moving the ball down the field and getting the ball in the end zone."

McNabb said he's OK with coach Leslie Frazier's plan to play him only a series or two at the most.

"One or two series is fine," he said. "It's a process."

Other highlights today ...

  • The Vikings signed former Patriots cornerback Tony Carter. He was on the field, but worked primarily on special teams only. Frazier said Carter may get in on special teams in Saturday night's preseason opener at Tennessee. The coaches will decide Friday whether Carter has enough grasp of the defense to play there. On what he likes about Carter, Frazier said, "His quickness, his athleticism, the fact he's been in the league and been a ballgame before. It gives us some experience. And he was an outstanding player in college (Florida State)."
  • The proof will come Saturday night, but Frazier said he thinks the team "did the things we needed to do to be able to line up against the Titans" on Saturday night.
  • Rookie Mistral Raymond worked with the first team at free safety throughout the practice. Husain Abdullah is due back from his White House dinner tonight and will start against the Titans. Tyrell Johnson worked with the first team at strong safety. Jamarca Sanford backed up Johnson. Johnson, Sanford and Abdullah all can play either strong or free. In the Vikings' system, there are instances even from play to play in which the strong becomes the free and vice versa.
  • Camp ended with Raymond making a great read and intercepting rookie Christan Ponder in the end zone. Raymond then took off running down the right sideline. The offense started chasing him. Heck, even Joe Webb came off the sideline and started chasing him. Raymond pulled up lame at the end. "They told me he might have tweaked his [hamstring]," Frazier said. "I hope that's not the case."
  • At this point, the only players who won't play Saturday night are Anthony Herrera (knee), Cedric Griffin (knee) and Visanthe Shiancoe (hamstring).
  • Webb and Ponder split reps with the second and third units again today. Webb will follow McNabb in the rotation Saturday night. That could change the following week in Seattle.