The 34-year-old Holcomb is entering his 12th season and has 21 career starts, nearly twice as many as the other three quarterbacks on the Vikings' roster combined.

Coach Brad Childress announced today that Jackson, a second-round pick out of Alabama State a year ago with two career starts, will be the opening day starter.

The Vikings gave up an undisclosed draft pick in 2009 to get Holcomb, who will compete with Brooks Bollinger for the backup job.

"Kelly has been calling these same plays," said Childress, who brought a similar system to Minnesota when he left the Eagles before last season. "I think it's really important that you have the right mix of people in the quarterback room and that everybody understands what their role is.

Bollinger entered training camp competing with Jackson for the starting job, but he hasn't had much time with the No. 1 offense in the preseason and struggled in Saturday night's game at Seattle.

He was 6-of-11 for 52 yards and two interceptions — one of which was returned for a touchdown — that gave him a rating of 27.7.

Holcomb, acquired by the Eagles in a trade with Buffalo last year, became expendable when Philadelphia drafted Kevin Kolb in the second round as the heir apparent to Donovan McNabb.

Holcomb has thrown for 5,401 yards and 37 touchdowns in 38 career games with the Browns, Bills and Colts. He never took a regular season snap for the Eagles.

The Vikings also cut Drew Henson, the former Michigan star quarterback who left school for a multimillion dollar contract with the New York Yankees. After his baseball career stalled, Henson tried to return to football, including unsuccessful stints with the Cowboys and Vikings.

"It's really not as much about Drew as it is about having an experienced veteran in there, a guy that has won games in this league and has played," Childress said. "I wish him the best. He's a great kid."

Childress said Tyler Thigpen, the team's seventh-round draft choice out of Coastal Carolina, would be a candidate for the practice squad.