The Minnesota Vikings signed free-agent receiver/kick returner Glenn Holt and unrestricted free-agent CB Karl Paymah, the team announced Thursday.
Holt led the Cincinnati Bengals in kickoff return yards in each of his three seasons with the team, averaging 24.3 yards per kickoff return on 122 career returns for 2,961 yards and one touchdown, while catching 20 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver in 42 games. The fourth-year veteran emerged as an impact special teams player for the Bengals in his rookie year in 2006, when he took over kickoff return duties the final five games of the season.
In 2008, Holt averaged 24.1 yards on 46 returns for 1,110 yards, with five returns greater than 40 yards. He started at wide receiver for Cincinnati in the final two games of the season and caught three passes for 26 yards and a touchdown. Holt ranked eighth in the AFC with a 24.3 average on 59 kickoff returns for 1,432 yards in 2007, including a career-long 100-yard return for a touchdown against Buffalo. In addition to his return duties, Holt caught a career-best 16 passes for 143 yards (8.9 avg.) and one touchdown in 2007.
Paymah played in 60 games with five starts in four seasons with the Denver Broncos, who selected him with the 76th overall pick in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He emerged as a special teams leader with the Broncos, ranking first or second on the team in special teams tackles in three of his four seasons, while compiling a team-best 42 tackles on specialty units since his rookie season.
Paymah's contributions to Denver's defense increased each of the last two seasons. He started three games in 2007 and totaled 15 tackles with two interceptions and eight passes defensed, both career highs. In 2008, Paymah made a career-high 29 tackles (26 solo) and recorded takeaways in both of his starts, intercepting a pass against Miami and recovering a fumble against Cleveland.
