Minnesota Vikings Pre-Training Camp Roster Tweaks

The Minnesota Vikings used the day between rookies reporting to training camp and veterans reporting to tweak the roster. The team waived undrafted rookie linebacker Keli Lawson and waived undrafted rookie receiver Luke Wysong, who received a non-football injury designation. The two moves opened two roster spots. It didn’t take long for the Vikings to fill one of them. 

Monday evening, Jamal Adams posted on twitter “Year 10” with a “#skol” hashtag. It was the first indication that Adams was back for his 10th season and that season would be in Minnesota. His news was quickly confirmed by all of the various football pundits and outlets. 

Knee-jerk reactions had the Vikings signing Jamal Adams because Harrison Smith had decided against coming back for his 15th season. This signing has nothing to do with Smith and has no impact on that decision. Adams may have made a name for himself as a safety but he hasn’t played strictly safety for some time. Severe critics of his game might argue that he’s never been a traditional safety. Last year, with the Las Vegas Raiders, Adams had the following snap distribution:

Left Edge: 38

Right Edge: 28

Inside LB (box): 254

Slot corner: 124

Wide corner: 2

Safety: 2

That looks like the snap distribution of a Brian Flores chess piece football player. As soon as I heard about the signing I thought about a game Jamal Adams had during his first season with the Seattle Seahawks. I think it might have been against the Buffalo Bills. Adams was an absolute menace as a pass rusher. The Bills couldn’t slow him. Up the middle, off the edge, Adams relentlessly harassed the quarterback. If he wasn’t sacking the quarterback, he was hitting him. If he wasn’t hitting the quarterback, he was pressuring him. There’s been six years and some injuries since that game. I doubt that Adams is the player. I know that the Vikings didn’t sign him as a safety. To put it simply, the Vikings signed a linebacker. To put it more accurately, the Vikings signed a defensive chess piece. Anytime Joshua Metellus and Jamal Adams are on the field together, offenses won’t have a clue where two of the 11 defenders will be lining up pre-snap or where they will be post-snap. 

It’s kinda funny. For most of his career, I was never quite sure what to think of Jamal Adams. In his prime, his athleticism was undeniable. He was listed as a safety but was often a liability in coverage. Yet, he could tilt the field and change games. In his first four seasons, he was once first-team All-Pro and twice second-team All-Pro. The New York Jets selected him with the sixth pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. The Seahawks traded two first-round picks for Adams and then made him the highest-paid safety in the league. So two teams used high-end assets to acquire him. There was a time when Adams was one of the league’s top defensive playmakers. Despite that unquestioned level of play, I was never quite sure what to think of a safety that could really only do about half the things required of the position. It’s kinda funny because I think I like a 30-year old Jamal Adams in this Brian Flores defense than I would’ve liked a 24-year old Jamal Adams in a Mike Zimmer defense. Perhaps it’s because I always saw Adams as more of a box linebacker/robber-type defender than traditional safety. 

I’ve said it every year Brian Flores has coordinated the Vikings defense and I say it again. I really can’t wait to see this Vikings defense on the field. Each year brings him new players, new ideas, and new schemes. Jamal Adams will be fun in this defense. Now, the wait for Harrison Smith’s return continues. 

All 257 Draft Picks Have Signed!

The start of training camp has always been a bit of a deadline for teams and draft picks to get a contract finalized. A first round quarterback is usually the last to sign. It’s always a quarterback. Well, it’s almost always a quarterback. This year, second-round edge Gabe Jacas was the last draft pick to sign his rookie contract. I tend to follow the draft pick-signing process more closely than I should. I was a little curious as to why the New England Patriots and Jacas took so long to come to an agreement. I was just never curious enough to look into the reason. Patriots rookies reported for training camp on 7/21. Jacas signed on 7/25. In this era of scripted rookie contracts, somehow, how is a second-round edge even a four-day holdout? That’s now in the past as all 257 of the players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft have signed. 

Here’s a look at the signed draft picks by round. 

First Round

1.   Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana - Signed

2.   New York Jets: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech - Signed

3.   Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame - Signed

4.   Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State - Signed

5.   New York Giants: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State - Signed

6.   Kansas City Chiefs: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU - Signed

7.   Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State - Signed

8.   New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State - Signed

9.   Cleveland Browns: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah - Signed

10. New York Giants: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami - Signed

11. Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State - Signed

12. Miami Dolphins: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama - Signed

13. Los Angeles Rams: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama - Signed

14. Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State - Signed

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami - Signed

16. New York Jets: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon - Signed

17. Detroit Lions: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson - Signed 

18. Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida - Signed

19. Carolina Panthers: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia - Signed

20. Philadelphia Eagles: Makai Lemon, WR, USC - Signed

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State - Signed

22. Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami - Signed

23. Dallas Cowboys: Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF - Signed

24. Cleveland Browns: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M - Signed

25. Chicago Bears: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon - Signed

26. Houston Texans: Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech - Signed

27. Miami Dolphins: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State - Signed

28. New England Patriots: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah - Signed

29. Kansas City Chiefs: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson - Signed

30. New York Jets: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana - Signed

31. Tennessee Titans: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn - Signed

32. Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame - Signed

0/32 players are unsigned.

Second Round

0/32 players are unsigned.

Third Round

0/36 players are unsigned. 

Fourth Round

0/40 players are unsigned.

Fifth Round

0/41 players are unsigned.

Sixth Round

0/35 players are unsigned. 

Seventh Round

0/41 players are unsigned. 

All 257 Draft Picks Have Signed! Now I can focus on training camps. 

Minnesota Vikings Training Camp Is Here

Minnesota Vikings training camp is finally here. Honestly, the Vikings rookies are reporting to spectacular TCO Performance Center today. The rest of the team will report on Tuesday. But today is a start. It’s the next step in the return to real, on-field football stuff. It’s a great shift from just thoughts of it. 

Important Minnesota Vikings Training Camp Dates:

Rookies Report: Today!

Veterans Report: Tuesday, July 28

First Open Public Practice: Saturday, August 1

First Padded Practice: Monday, August 3

Night Practice @ TCO Stadium: Sunday, August 9

Preseason Game @ New York Giants: Saturday, August 15

Joint Practice w/Baltimore Ravens: Wednesday, August 19

Joint Practice w/Baltimore Ravens: Thursday. August 20

Preseason game vs Baltimore Ravens: Saturday, August 22

Preseason game @ Denver Broncos: Friday, August 28

Roster Trimming Time: Sunday, August 30

Vikings rip up the Green Bay Packers: Sunday, September 13

One of these years, I’m going to attend a Minnesota Vikings training camp. Every damn minute of one. Hopefully, I can fit a few of them into future schedules. I’ve always been a bit envious of those that grew up stomping around Mankato State and now TCO. It’s the price I paid in falling for a team half a country away from me. I’ve been following Vikings training camps for over 50 years. With the exception of 2001, every one has been a blast. 

Here are the Vikings rookies that are reporting to spectacular TCO Performance Center for their first training camp as NFL football players:

Draft Picks:

1. Caleb Banks, DL, Florida

2. Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati

3. Domonique Orange, DL, Iowa State

3. Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern

3. Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami

5. Max Bredeson, FB, Michigan

5. Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F Austin

6. Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest

7. Gavin Gerhardt. C, Cincinnati

For three months, I’ve been getting more and more excited about this draft class. I’ve tried to restrain myself because I did the same damn thing in 2022. I believed that Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth Jr., Brian Asamoah, and Akayleb Evans were going to become defensive fixtures for the Vikings. All were gone before the end of their rookie contracts. That 2022 draft class will go down as one of the worst in Vikings franchise history. I was excited about all of the players for all of the three months between the draft and training camp. As much as I’ve tried to reel in my excitement for the Vikings 2026 draft class, I’ve failed. I can’t wait to see the above nine players on the field. I believe that all but offensive linemen Caleb Tiernan and Gavin Gerhardt will earn impactful playing time as rookies. There isn’t an offensive line rotation like there is at other positions. It would take an injury to put Tiernan on the field. It would probably take 2025-level injuries to the offensive line to put Gerhardt on the field. Tiernan, in particular, was drafted for a significant future role.

Undrafted Free Agents:

Marcus Allen, CB, North Carolina

Da’Veawn Armstead, CB, North Texas

Dillon Bell, WR, Georgia

Michael Briscoe, WR, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Tyreek Chappell, CB, Texas A&M

Terrill Davis, WR, Oklahoma State

Bangally Kamara, LB, Kansas

Keli Lawson, LB, UCF

Tristan Leigh, OT, Clemson

Delby Lemieux, OL, Dartmouth

Kejon Owens, RB, Florida International

Tomas Rimac, OL, Virginia Tech

Trayvon Rudolph, WR, Toledo

Marcus Sanders, Jr., WR, Georgia Southern

Cam’Ron Stewart, OLB, Temple

Jacob Thomas, S, James Madison

Brett Thorson, P, Georgia

Smith Vilbert, DL, North Carolina

Arden Walker, OLB, Colorado

Lyke Wysong, WR, Arizona

Training Camp is finally here for the Minnesota Vikings rookies. 

An Intriguing Player From Each Vikings Position Group

The Minnesota Vikings rookies report to spectacular TCO Performance Center tomorrow. The veterans report on Tuesday. Vikings football is nearly here. About 99% of the attention will be on the quarterbacks but there are intriguing players throughout the roster. Here’s a look at a player from each of the Vikings position groups that I’m intrigued to see.

Quarterback

Nothing to see here. Actually there’s a lot to see. What I’m most intrigued to see is if the coverage, local and national, is focused more on the field than the possible drama off it. 

Running Back

Demond Claiborne

Of course, it’s the speedy sixth-round rookie. We know what the Vikings have in the running back duo of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. Even at the age of 33, Jones can do everything you want from a running back. Run, catch, block. But, he’s 33. Mason is a terrific, between-the-tackles runner. He has excellent vision. Jones and Mason are a solid duo. The Vikings need a much more efficient run game than they’ve had in years. Former Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith was hired as assistant head coach to add some flavor to the run schemes. Those schemes brought the best out of Dolphins back De’Von Achane. Demond Claiborne has some of the speedy traits of Achane. Claiborne is the wildcard of the Vikings running back room.

Receiver

Jauan Jennings

When Jalen Nailor bolted to the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, the Vikings were in need of a new WR3. Jauan Jennings was the ideal replacement but felt unattainable. Reports had him looking for a contract close to high #2 or low #1 money. Still available after the draft, those contract hopes either vanished or never existed in the first place. The Vikings signed him for one season for less than the Raiders paid Nailor. I like Nailor but Jennings is an upgrade. With Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings, the Vikings have the best receiver trio in the league. Jennings might not have the speed of Nailor but he provides so much versatility. In particular, he’s a force as a blocker. He brings some physicality to the offense. Some might even call it some “nasty.” Kyler Murray called him a “dirtbag” from their days competing against each other in the NFC West. The Vikings have been something of a finesse offense in recent years. They could use some “nasty.”

Tight End

T.J. Hockenson

I just want to see T.J. Hockenson get back to being the player he was before that shithead in Detroit shredded his knees. 

Offensive Line

Blake Brandel

Of course, it’s the Vikings new center. Blake Brandel has been a reliable and versatile lineman for years. He was drafted as an offensive tackle and started a season at left guard. Before last season, he’d played every offensive line position but center. Injuries forced him to take the first snaps of his life at center. He showed enough promise at the position that the Vikings didn’t feel that they had to find a center in free agency or the draft. It appears that Brandel has this season to prove that he can be the Vikings long term starter at the position.

Defensive Line

Elijah Williams

I could pick the rookies Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange. I could pick emerging Jalen Redmond. The Vikings have a really interesting defensive line group. I could pick any of them. I’m going with Elijah Williams. Undrafted in 2025, he’s proof that the NFL refuse to properly scout the HBCUs. Williams showed NFL potential at Morgan State. He probably showed more NFL potential at an HBCU than Levi Drake Rodriguez showed at itty bitty Texas A&M-Commerce. Rodriguez was drafted in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Williams should’ve been drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. The lack of respect for the HBCUs is ludicrous. In this case, that lack of respect helped the Vikings land Elijah Williams as an undrafted free agent. I expect him to emerge this season in the Vikings defensive line rotation. 

Edge

Jake Golday

The Vikings selected Jake Golday in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He was drafted as a linebacker. It’s believed that he was really drafted to be the eventual replacement for the ridiculously versatile Andrew Van Ginkel. With his preternatural instincts, it doesn’t feel like Van Ginkel will ever be properly replaced. Golday does appear to possess similar versatility. The Vikings don’t have any proven depth behind edge starters Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner. Golday might help out in that department as soon as this year.

Linebacker

Jake Golday

It’s that rookie again. Jake Golday is going to have a lot on his plate. While I believe that he was drafted to eventually replace Andrew Van Ginkel, I also believe that he will start out off-the-ball and be peppered in as a pass rusher. How much he’ll be peppered in will be dependent on how much he can handle. 

Cornerback

Chuck Demmings

The Vikings drafted intriguing players at each level of the defense. I wouldn’t be surprised if Chuck Demmings quickly emerges as one of my favorite Vikings players. He has electric talent on the field and he has an electric personality. He’s a fun football player and person. Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaih Rodgers are solid starters. The Vikings strengthened their cornerback room this offseason with the free agency signing of James Pierre. Demmings might still earn increasing defensive snaps through the season. 

Safety

Jakobe Thomas

Another of the team’s rookies. Of the defensive rookies, it’s easy to pick defensive tackles Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange as the most likely to start. Jakobe Thomas is probably the next most likely. 

Specialists

Brett Thorson

It’s gotta be the undrafted Australian punter. Brett Thorson will compete with veteran Johnny Hekker. If it wasn’t for the fact that Thorson never held in college, he might’ve won the job before training camp opened. After the Vikings lost Ryan Wright in free agency, I liked the signing of Hekker to replace him. He’s been one of the league’s best punters for more than a decade. Unfortunately, he’s been in the league for more than a decade. If the competition was dependent only on punting, it’s Thorson. This competition will probably come down to holding. Thorson better be a quick study. 

Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staffs: Then And Now

Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame coach Bud Grant often expressed his curiosity surrounding the size of modern football coaching staffs.

“What do all those coaches do?”

Those might not be his exact words but it reflects his surprise and curiosity over recent coaching excesses. One could argue that today’s NFL is far more complicated than the NFL of Bud Grant’s day. They’d be right. In Grant’s day, offenses routinely trotted out two backs, two receivers, and a single tight end lined up tight against a tackle. The entire offensive line actually followed football’s rule that all members of the group come set on the line of scrimmage. Offenses simply played base on all downs and most situations. A third receiver might replace a back or the tight end in desperate situations.  Defenses simply played base on all downs and situations. The only specialists were on special teams. Simple stuff. 

Apparently the complicating of football resulted in an explosion of coaching staffs. Here’s a look at the coaching staff that Kevin O’Connell will bring to Eagan in a couple days. 

2026 Minnesota Vikings Coaches

Head Coach: Kevin O’Connell

Assistant Head Coach: Frank Smith

Offensive Coordinator: Wes Phillips

Defensive Coordinator: Brian Flores

Special Teams Coordinator: Matt Daniels

Offense:

QBs/Pass Game Coordinator: Josh McCown

Assistant QB/Pass Game Specialist: Jordan Traylor

Assistant Offensive Coordinator: Chris O’Hara

RBs/Run Game Coordinator: Curtis Modkins

Receivers: Keenan McCardell

Assistant Receivers: Derron Montgomery

TEs/Pass Game Coordinator: Ryan Cordell

Offensive Line: Keith Carter

Assistant Offensive Line: Derek Warehime

Offensive Quality Control: Kyle Caskey

Offensive Assistant: Ben Ellefson

Assistant to the Head Coach: Henry Schneider IV

Defense:

DL/Run Game Coordinator: Ryan Nielsen

Assistant Defensive Line: Patrick Hill

Outside LBs: Thad Bogardus

Inside LBs/Senior Defensive Assistant: Mike Siravo 

Assistant LBs: Dalmin Gibson

DBs/Pass Game Coordinator: Gerald Alexander

Assistant DBs: Chenzo Funari

Defensive Assistant: Charlie Frye

Defensive Assistant: Will Johnson

Special Teams:

Assistant Special Teams: Chili Davis

That’s 27 coaches. If you want to include the strength and performance coaches:

Minnesota Vikings Strength and Performance Coaches:

Head Strength and Performance Coach: Joe Distor Jr.

Assistant Strength and Performance Coach: Marquis Johnson

Assistant Strength and Performance Coach: Chad Bari

Assistant Strength and Performance Coach/Head of Applied Sports Science: Dan Ridenour

That bumps the number of Vikings coaches to 31. 

58 years ago, Bud Grant brought the following coaching staff to Mankato for training camp.

1968 Minnesota Vikings Coaches

Head Coach: Bud Grant

Offensive Coach: Jerry Burns

Defensive Line Coach: Bob Hollway

Defensive Backfield Coach: Jim Carr

Offensive Line Coach: John Michels 

Offensive Backfield: Bus Mertes

Six coaches. 6! 6!!

There wasn’t a need for strength and performance coaches because teams didn’t have a strength and performance program. 

In 1968, an NFL roster was 40 players. At 31 coaches, the Vikings 2026 coaching staff is nearly the size of the Vikings 1968 roster. 

1968: 1 coach for every 6.7 players

2026: 1 coach for every 1.7 players

If the NFL gets any more complicated, will we be seeing one coach for every player? 

The NFL has seen a lot of change since Bud Grant’s days. One of the greatest changes might be the five-fold increase in the size of coaching staffs. 

Unsigned Draft Picks: By Round

A week ago, six of the players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft were unsigned. Two-thirds of those unsigned picks were quarterbacks. With training camps opening, there was finally some movement on the pick-signing front. First pick in the draft, quarterback Fernando Mendoza is still unsigned. Fellow first-round quarterback, Ty Simpson is also unsigned. However, first pick in the third round, quarterback Carson Beck signed his rookie deal with the Arizona Cardinals. First pick in the fourth round, cornerback Jermod McCoy signed his rookie deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. All players selected on Day 3 are now signed. Here’s a look at the unsigned draft pick status for each of the seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. The first round, of course, is shown in detail.

Unsigned Draft Picks: By Round

First Round

1.   Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana 

2.   New York Jets: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech - Signed

3.   Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame - Signed

4.   Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State - Signed

5.   New York Giants: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State - Signed

6.   Kansas City Chiefs: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU - Signed

7.   Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State - Signed

8.   New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State - Signed

9.   Cleveland Browns: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah - Signed

10. New York Giants: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami - Signed

11. Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State - Signed

12. Miami Dolphins: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama - Signed

13. Los Angeles Rams: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

14. Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State - Signed

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami - Signed

16. New York Jets: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon - Signed

17. Detroit Lions: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson - Signed 

18. Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida - Signed

19. Carolina Panthers: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia - Signed

20. Philadelphia Eagles: Makai Lemon, WR, USC - Signed

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State - Signed

22. Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami - Signed

23. Dallas Cowboys: Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF - Signed

24. Cleveland Browns: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M - Signed

25. Chicago Bears: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon - Signed

26. Houston Texans: Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech - Signed

27. Miami Dolphins: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State - Signed

28. New England Patriots: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah - Signed

29. Kansas City Chiefs: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson - Signed

30. New York Jets: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana - Signed

31. Tennessee Titans: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn - Signed

32. Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame - Signed

2/32 players are unsigned.

Second Round

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

1/32 players are unsigned.

Everyone knows that quarterbacks are a problem. Despite rookie deals being scripted, quarterback deals are always so special. As the only unsigned, non-quarterback, what’s up with Gabe Jacas?

Third Round

12. Pittsburgh Steelers: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State

1/36 players are unsigned. 

Fourth Round

0/40 players are unsigned.

Fifth Round

0/41 players are unsigned.

Sixth Round

0/35 players are unsigned. 

Seventh Round

0/41 players are unsigned. 

4/257 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft are unsigned. 

Three of the four unsigned players are quarterbacks. It’s always about the quarterbacks. 

Late Vikings Additions?

As training camp nears, there’s been significant chatter around the need for the Minnesota Vikings to add a player, or two, or three. The Minnesota Star Tribune came up with 10 free agents that could boost the roster before Week 1. 

The Star Tribune 10:

Edge Rushers

Jadeveon Clowney

Kyle Van Noy

Haason Reddick

Derek Barnett

Defensive Backs

Harrison Smith

Taylor Rapp

Donovan Wilson

Kenny Moore II

Centers

Ryan Bates

Graham Glasgow

I can immediately slash this list to three. 

Jadeveon Clowney

Haason Reddick

Harrison Smith

In reality, I see it as two. I believe that Harrison Smith will be back. I get that he has his own way of doing things. It’s one of the many things that I like about him. I can’t think of a single reason for him to take this long to “officially” announce a decision. I believe that he made the decision months ago and the team already knows that he’s returning for his 15th season. In that sense, Smith isn’t really a training camp addition. I see it more as he never left. 

Most of that chatter around the need for reinforcements has focused on the edge position. The Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles during April’s draft. That move opened Dallas Turner’s path to the field but now edge depth is an issue. Andrew Van Ginkel and Turner should form a solid duo. Behind them are a collection of undrafted players.

Tyler Batty

Bo Richter

Chaz Chambliss

Cam’Ron Stewart

Arden Walker

Someone could emerge but there’s no proven experience or production on the Vikings edge bench. It’s easy to look to free agents to add experience and production. 

If an experienced edge player is added, my preference is Jadeveon Clowney and then Haason Reddick. Clowney seems ageless and has become something of a mercenary. I’m convinced he’d provide effective snaps. I believe that Reddick would do the same. I just have greater faith in Clowney. 

If an experienced edge player is not added, I believe it’s because defensive coordinator Brian Flores has a plan. Of course, he’d have a plan. It’s foolish to think that the Vikings would go into training camp unprepared. That edge depth plan, I believe, starts with a couple veteran players already on the roster and a rookie. Second-year defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins has gotten leaner, without dropping weight. He looks much quicker, twitchier. I’m not sure if he’d take up chunks of snaps one the edge but he could provide a changeup out there. Off-the-ball linebacker Eric Wilson was a revelation in his Minnesota return last season. He was such a revelation that he earned a contract extension. His primary job will be next to Blake Cashman in the middle of the Vikings defense. His secondary job might be to give breathers to Van Ginkel and/or Turner as an edge rusher. In his breakout return last season, Wilson got after the quarterback from nearly every starting point, including off the edge. I really like Wilson as an option off the edge. Finally, Jake Golday was selected in the second of the 2026 NFL Draft as an off-the-ball linebacker. That might just be his starting point. His college football career showed a variety of talents. He might start off as an off-the-ball linebacker for the Vikings but his future is more likely as heir to Van Ginkel’s versatile role. I expect Golday to work his way into playing time. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of that playing time is as on the edge. 

So, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Vikings do add an experienced edge player. Adding someone like Jadeveon Clowney would probably allow fans to sleep a little more soundly. It’d give them one less thing to fret over. It also wouldn’t surprise me if the Vikings didn’t add an experienced edge player. Part of that might be due to my excitement over the potential of Jake Golday. I really want to see him on the field as much as possible. As soon as possible. 

I’m ready for training camp to start and the focus of Vikings will be on the field.