MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Vikings assistant general manager George Paton, who is one of the prime candidates for the San Francisco 49ers' general manager opening, will interview with another team in the near future.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Indianapolis Colts requested permission to speak with Paton, and a league source said Paton indeed will talk to the Colts, who are looking for a GM after firing Ryan Grigson.

Paton has been selective with his job interviews in the past, so it's worth noting that he's going through the process with both the 49ers and the Colts. In San Francisco, he'd take charge of a team with the second pick in the draft, while he'd already have a proven quarterback in Andrew Luck if he landed the Colts' job.

If he does depart for a GM opening in the near future, he'd leave a void in the Vikings' front office, where he has played a key role in the team's drafts and helped uncover players such as defensive tackle Tom Johnson, who has posted 14 sacks in three years with the Vikings after signing a one-year deal with the team in 2014.

Things could pick up for Paton this week, when NFL teams convene in Mobile, Alabama, to scout players at the Senior Bowl.