Minnesota Vikings Roster: How Did They Get Here?

Here’s a look at how the players got to the roster of the Minnesota Vikings. 

Draft: First Round

Justin Jefferson (2020)

Christian Darrisaw (2021)

Jordan Addison (2023)

J.J. McCarthy (2024)

Dallas Turner (2024)

Donovan Jackson (2025)

Caleb Banks (2026)

Draft: Second Round

Brian O’Neill (2018)

Jake Golday (2026)

Draft: Third Round

Tai Felton (2025)

Domonique Orange (2026)

Caleb Tiernan (2026)

Jakobe Thomas (2026)

Draft: Fourth Round

Jay Ward (2023)

Draft: Fifth Round

Ty Chandler (2022)

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (2015)

Max Bredeson (2026)

Chuck Demmings (2026)

Draft: Sixth Round

Josh Metellus (2020)

Blake Brandel (2020)

Walter Rouse (2024)

Will Reichard (2024)

Demond Claiborne (2026)

Draft: Seventh Round

Michael Jurgens (2024)

Levi Drake Rodriguez (2024)

Gavin Bortholomew (2025)

Gavin Gerhardt (2026)

Undrafted Free Agent

Ivan Pace Jr. (2023)

Jeshaun Jones (2024)

Dwight McGlothern (2024)

Bo Richter (2024)

Taki Taimani (2024)

Max Brosmer (2025)

Chaz Chambliss (2025)

Dontae Fleming (2025)

Joe Huber (2025)

Myles Price (2025)

Elijiah Williams (2025)

Ben Yurosek (2025)

Bryson Nesbit (2025)

Zemaiah Vaugh (2025)

Marcus Allen (2026)

Da’Veawn Armstead (2026)

Dillon Bell (2026)

Tyreek Chappell (2026)

Monkell Goodwine (2026)

Shaleak Knotts (2026)

Keli Lawson (2026)

Tristan Leigh (2026)

Delby Lemieux (2026)

Kejon Owens (2026)

Tomas Rimac (2026)

Marcus Sanders, Jr. (2026)

Cam’Ron Stewart (2026)

Jacob Thomas (2026)

Brett Thorson (2026)

Arden Walker (2026)

Lyke Wysong (2026)

Smith Vilbert (2026)

Bangally Kamara (2026)

Terrill Davis (2026)

Trade

T.J. Hockenson (2022)

Jordan Mason (2025)

Unrestricted Free Agent

Josh Oliver (2023)

Byron Murphy Jr. (2023)

Andrew Van Ginkel (2024)

Blake Cashman (2024)

Isaiah Rodgers (2025)

Will Fries (2025)

Tavierre Thomas (2025)

Eric Wilson (2025)

James Pierre (2026)

Johnny Hekker (2026)

Eric Johnson II (2026)

Jauan Jennings (2026)

Restricted Free Agent

Ryan Van Demark (2026) 

Street Free Agent

Andrew DePaola (2020)

Theo Jackson (2022)

Henry Byrd (2023)

Aaron Jones Sr. (2024)

Jalen Redmond (2024)

Zavier Scott (2024)

Carson Wentz (2025)

Joaquin Davis (2025)

Caleb Etienne (2025)

Vershon Lee (2025)

Kahlef Hailassie (2025)

Jacob Roberts (2026)

Josh Ross (2026)

Kyler Murray (2026)

Minnesota Vikings Roster: By Age

Here’s a look at the Minnesota Vikings roster broken down by age. 

21

Marcus Sanders Jr. 

22

Demond Claiborne

Jake Golday

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Domonique Orange

Jakobe Thomas

Marcus Allen

Dillon Bell

Shaleak Knotts

Keli Lawson

Delby Lemieux

Cam’Ron Stewart

Jacob Thomas

Luke Wysong

23

Caleb Banks

Gavin Bartholomew

Max Bredeson

Chaz Chambliss

Joaquin Davis

Chuck Demmings

Tai Felton

Donovan Jackson

J.J. McCarthy

Bryson Nesbit

Caleb Tiernan

Dallas Turner

Elijiah Williams

Da’Veawn Armstead

Tyreek Chappell

Monkell Goodwine

Tristan Leigh

Tomas Rimac

Arden Walker

24

Jordan Addison

Caleb Etienne

Dontae Fleming

Joe Huber

Vershon Lee

Dwight McGlothern

Myles Price

Jacob Roberts

Zemaiah Vaughn

Ben Yurosek

Gavin Gerhardt

Kejon Owens

Bangally Kamara

Terrill Davis

25

Max Brosmer

Kahlef Hailassie 

Ivan Pace Jr.

Will Reichard

Bo Richter

Levi Drake Rodriguez 

Walter Rouse

Jay Ward

Smith Vilbert

26

Henry Byrd

Christian Darrisaw

Justin Jefferson

Jeshaun Jones

Michael Jurgens

Jordan Mason

Josh Ross

Zavier Scott

Taki Taimani

27

Tyler Batty

Theo Jackson

Eric Johnson II

Jalen Redmond

28

Will Fries

T.J. Hockenson

Joshua Metellus

Byron Murphy Jr.

Kyler Murray

Isaiah Rodgers

Ryan Van Demark

28

Blake Brandel

Blake Cashman

Josh Oliver

James Pierre

Jauan Jennings

30

Brian O’Neill

Tavierre Thomas

Andrew Van Ginkel

31

Aaron Jones Sr.

Eric Wilson

33

Carson Wentz

36

Johnny Hekker

38

Andrew DePaola

Minnesota Vikings Roster: By College

Here’s a look at the Minnesota Vikings roster broken down by the college the players attended. 

Air Force

Bo Richter

Alabama

Dallas Turner

Will Reichard

Arizona 

Luke Wysong

Arkansas 

Dwight McGlothern

BYU

Tyler Batty

Caleb Etienne

Central Florida

Keli Lawson

Cincinnati

Ivan Pace Jr.

Eric Wilson

Jake Golday

Gavin Gerhardt

Clemson

Tristan Leigh

Colorado

Arden Walker

Connecticut

Ryan Van Demark

Dartmouth

Delby Lemieux

Ferris State

Tavierre Thomas

Florida

Caleb Banks

Florida Atlantic

James Pierre

Florida International 

Kejon Owens

Georgia

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Chaz Chambliss

Ben Yurosek

Dillon Bell

Brett Thorson

Georgia Southern

Marcus Sanders Jr. 

Georgia Tech

Jordan Mason

Indiana

Myles Price 

Iowa

T.J. Hockenson

Iowa State

Domonique Orange

James Madison

Jacob Thomas

Kansas

Bangally Kamara

LSU

Justin Jefferson

Jay Ward

Maine

Zavier Scott

Maryland

Tai Felton

Jeshaun Jones

Shaleak Knotts

Miami

Jakobe Thomas

Michigan 

Josh Metellus

J.J. McCarthy

Max Bredeson

Josh Ross

Minnesota

Blake Cashman

Max Brosmer

Missouri State

Eric Johnson II

Morgan State

Elijah Williams

North Carolina

Bryson Nesbit

Marcus Allen

Smith Vilbert

North Carolina Central

Joaquin Davis

North Dakota State

Carson Wentz

North Texas

Da’Veawn Armstead

Northwestern

Caleb Tiernan

Ohio State

Donovan Jackson

Oklahoma

Jalen Redmond

Walter Rouse

Kyler Murray

Oklahoma State 

Terrill Davis

Oregon

Taki Taimani

Oregon State

Blake Brandel

Johnny Hekker

Penn State

Will Fries

Pittsburgh

Brian O’Neill

Gavin Bartholomew

Princeton

Henry Byrd

Rutgers

Andrew DePaola

San Jose State

Josh Oliver

South Carolina

Monkell Goodwine

Vershon Lee

Stephen F Austin

Chuck Demmings

Temple

Cam’Ron Stewart

Tennessee

Theo Jackson

Jauan Jennings 

Texas-El Paso

Aaron Jones

Texas A&M

Tyreek Chappell

Texas A&M-Commerce

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Tulane

Dontae Fleming 

UMass-Amherst

Isaiah Rodgers

USC

Jordan Addison

Utah

Zemaiah Vaughn

Virginia Tech

Christian Darrisaw

Tomas Rimac

Wake Forest

Michael Jurgens

Demond Claiborne

Jacob Roberts

Washington

Byron Murphy Jr. 

Western Kentucky

Kahlef Hailassie

Wisconsin

Andrew Van Ginkel

Joe Huber

Minnesota Vikings 2026 Schedule

The “who” and “where” of the Minnesota Vikings 2026 schedule has been known since the end of the 2025 season. With the NFL’s release yesterday of the full 2026 Schedule, the “when” of the Vikings schedule is finally known. 

Minnesota Vikings 2026 Schedule

Week 1:  vs Green Bay Packers

Week 2:  @ Chicago Bears

Week 3:  @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Week 4:  vs Miami Dolphins 

Week 5:  @ New Orleans Saints 

Week 6:  Bye

Week 7:  vs Indianapolis Colts 

Week 8:  @ Detroit Lions

Week 9:  vs Buffalo Bills (MNF)

Week 10: @ Green Bay Packers 

Week 11: @ San Francisco 49ers - Mexico City (SNF)

Week 12: vs Atlanta Falcons

Week 13: vs Carolina Panthers

Week 14: @ New England Patriots (TNF)

Week 15: vs Detroit Lions (SNF)

Week 16: vs Washington Commanders

Week 17: @ New York Jets

Week 18: vs Chicago Bears

Schedule issues:

1. Spending consecutive weeks in the UK last year, with travel from Dublin to London in the middle, should’ve made the Vikings exempt from the international game idiocy for several years. I don’t care that Mexico City is in the same time zone as Minnesota. Five international games in five years is bullshit. 

2. For the fourth consecutive year the Vikings have to travel to one of the coasts for a Thursday night game. Three days is never enough rest between games. For four consecutive years, the Vikings have been forced to hand one of those days to travel. Again, bullshit. 

Some schedule highlights:

1. The Vikings kick off and wrap up the schedule with home games against division foes. 

2. Over the final eight weeks, the Vikings play only two division foes. 

3. Four Prime Time games is a nice start. Seeing as the Vikings will be ripping up the league this season, they’ll likely have a late-season game, or two, bumped to a Prime Time slot. 

4. Other than traveling (again) to the coast for a Thursday night game and an international game (again), it isn’t a bad schedule. It’s definitely a better schedule than the bullshit of last season. 

Second Round Signing Tracker

The 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement removed the drama from contract negotiations with the players selected in the draft. Most of the details of a rookie contract are dictated by where the player was selected. In recent years, the only drama with these “easy” negotiations have come from the players in the second round. That’s because players, or their agents, have been trying to get some of the contract guarantees that go to the first round picks. 

2026 NFL Draft - Second Round Signing Tracker

1.   San Francisco 49ers: De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, San Francisco 49ers - Signed

2.   Arizona Cardinals: Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M - Signed

3.   Buffalo Bills: T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson - Signed

4.   Houston Texans: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State - Signed

5.   New York Giants: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee - Signed

6.   Las Vegas Raiders: Treydan Stukes, DB, Arizona - Signed

7.   Cleveland Browns: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington - Signed

8.   Kansas City Chiefs: R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma

9.   Cincinnati Bengals: Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

10. New Orleans Saints: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia - Signed

11. Miami Dolphins: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

12. Detroit Lions: Derrick Moore, Edge, Michigan - Signed

13. Baltimore Ravens: Zion Young, Edge, Missouri

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josiah Trotter, Missouri

15. Pittsburgh Steelers: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama

16. Atlanta Falcons: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

17. Carolina Panthers: Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

18. New York Jets: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana - Signed

19. Minnesota Vikings: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati

20. Green Bay Packers: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina 

21. Indianapolis Colts: C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia - Signed

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt

23. New England Patriots: Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M

25. Chicago Bears: Logan Jones, C, Iowa

26. Cleveland Browns: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

27. Houston Texans: Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan

28. Tennessee Titans: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas

29. Los Angeles Rams: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State

30. Buffalo Bills: Donald Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State - Signed

31. Los Angeles Chargers: Jake Slaughter, C, Florida - Signed

32. Seattle Seahawks: Bud Clark, S, TCU - Signed

With 14 of 32 players signed, the second round is pacing the first round. That’s a significant improvement over recent years. I those years, perhaps a couple second round picks were signed at this point in the offseason. 

All that really matters is that Jake Golday signs soon. 

And Then There Were Nine

Last week brought reports that the Minnesota Vikings had requested interviews with six external candidates for their vacant general manager position.

The Six:

Terrance Gray - Buffalo Bills Assistant General Manager

Dave Ziegler - Tennessee Titans Assistant General Manager

RJ Gillen - San Francisco 49ers Assistant General Manager

Chad Alexander - Los Angeles Chargers Assistant General Manager

John McKay - Los Angeles Rams General Manager

Nolan Teasley - Seattle Seahawks Assistant General Manager

Interviews with the candidates reportedly started on Monday. It was great to see things starting to roll. Then came reports yesterday that the Vikings decided six external candidates wasn’t enough. NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported that the Vikings had requested interviews with three more external candidates.

Ray Agnew - Detroit Lions Assistant General Manager 

Reed Burkhardt - Denver Broncos Assistant General Manager

Kyle Smith - Miami Dolphins Assistant General Manager 

Honestly, I was a little surprised that Ray Agnew and Reed Burkhardt weren’t among the original six interview requests. There’s always a need to draw connections between in both general manager and coach searches. Both of the new candidates had significant connections with the Vikings. Agnew was with the Los Angeles Rams when Kevin O’Connell was the Rams offensive coordinator. Burkhardt spent 13 years rising through the scouting ranks with the Vikings. When George Paton left the Vikings to become the Denver Broncos general manager, he took Burkhardt with him. 

The Vikings are definitely looking for a type as all nine of the external candidates are currently assistant general mangers and all nine have risen through the scouting ranks. There’s not an analytics-centric individual among them. 

Now there are nine external candidates to fill the Vikings general manager vacancy. Long-time salary cap wizard and current interim general manager Rob Brzezinski is the lone internal candidate. Unless the Vikings decision-makers suddenly decide that nine external candidates isn’t enough, there are now 10 total contenders for the job. 

For what it’s worth, Chad Alexander has been my favorite for the job from the start. With the new additions to the process, if I were to pick a top three, it might look like this.

Chad Alexander

Terrance Gray

Reed Burkhardt

While I definitely don’t want the Vikings to rush through the process. It’s too important. I can’t wait for the conclusion. A GM search in May isn’t fun. I just want to move on to actual football stuff. That’s fun. 

28 Is 29

Last Thursday, the Minnesota Vikings brought Adrian Peterson to spectacular TCO Performance Center to talk to the team’s rookies. The Vikings also had an additional surprise reason for bringing in the greatest running back in franchise history. Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle interrupted an “interview” with the wonderful news that Adrian Peterson will be inducted into the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor. #28 will be the 29th name to ring US Bank Stadium. 

Adrian Peterson is the greatest running back in Vikings franchise history. He’s in the discussion of the greatest running backs in NFL history. It wasn’t so much “if” he’d be inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor. It was really a matter of “when.” The team decided that the “when” would be now. He’ll get his spiffy purple jacket a year before he gets his spiffy gold jacket. In the next voting cycle, Peterson will be in his first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He should be considered a lock for a bust. Before that happens, he’ll be honored by the Vikings. 

Just as Randy Moss did nine years earlier, Adrian Peterson “ripped up’ the NFL as a rookie. His 1341 yard, 13 TD first season was highlighted by an NFL record 296 rushing yards against the San Diego Chargers. His 224-yard game against the Chicago Bears three weeks earlier might’ve been even more spectacular. Peterson was an easy choice for the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was just getting started. 

Adrian Peterson Career Highlights:

2007 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

2012 NFL MVP

3x Rushing Champ

4x 1st Team All-Pro

3x 2nd Team All-Pro

7 seasons of at least 1250 yards rushing

Adrian Peterson’s remarkable 15-year career will always be remembered for his ridiculous 2012 season. His 2011 season was ended by a Week 16 knee injury against the Washington Redskins. Despite the late-season injury, he was somehow ready for the start of the 2012 season. With fewer than 20 carries in each of the first two games, the Vikings eased him into the season. In Week 7, Peterson started a 10-game rushing performance rarely seen in league history. His 2097 years was a frustrating nine yards short of break Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record. Peterson’s fantastic season on a reconstructed knee secured the league’s MVP trophy. It remains the last time the award hasn’t gone to a quarterback. With today’s NFL, that’s a streak that should continue for a while.

When Adrian Peterson was selected with the seventh pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, the league was well on its way to becoming one that’s pass-centric and quarterback-dominated. His immediate impact might’ve stalled that trend. He certainly did for the Vikings. Peterson was a beast of a back. He had to be the focus of the offense. He had an incredible football career. Now, he will be immortalized in the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor. 

At halftime of a game this season, Adrian Peterson will received that spiffy purple jacket and officially join the following franchise greats. 

Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor

Jared Allen

Matt Blair

Bill Brown

Joey Browner

Bobby Bryant

Jerry Burns

Cris Carter

Chris Doleman

Dennis Green

Carl Eller

Jim Finks

Chuck Foreman

Bud Grant

Steve Jordan

Paul Krause

Jim Marshall

Randall McDaniel

Randy Moss

Alan Page

John Randle

Korey Stringer

Scott Studwell

Ahmad Rashad

Fran Tarkenton

Mick Tingelhoff

Kevin Williams

Ron Yary 

Fred Zamberletti