Vikings Add An Edge

For months, media and fans have been honking on and on about the Minnesota Vikings needing to add some edge depth. All that honking started when Jonathan Greenard was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2026 NFL Draft. Dallas Turner was ready to step into the starting lineup. Only a collection of undrafted players were set to step into Turner’s former backup role. The Vikings seemed to have more faith in those unheralded players. Throughout training camp and the preseason, there didn’t appear to be any interest in bringing in outside free agents. Unless it was the plan all along, that stance might’ve changed when Tyler Batty was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Whether it was the plan from the start or a late pivot, the Vikings signed a veteran edge rusher. Kyle Van Noy is coming to Minnesota. 

With his past connections to Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Kyle Van Noy was always at the top of the “Edge Wish List” of media and fans. The pair won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. When Flores was hired as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, he brought in Van Noy as soon as he could get him. Now, they are together again. When looking at the entirety of his 12-year career, I was surprised to see that his single Pro Bowl season was only two years ago. His 12.5 sacks with the Baltimore Ravens finally got him that post-season honor. While he’s been an impact for nearly all of his 12 years, he’s only been a full-time starter for about half of it. For the Vikings, he really only has to be what he’s always been: a smart, reliable, versatile edge player. His experience is a boost. His shared time with Flores is a boost. He may be new to the Vikings but he isn’t new to the team’s defensive architect. 

Perhaps simply to be contrarian, I was never really sold on the need for a veteran edge. That was mostly because I was intrigued by how Brian Flores and the defensive coaches might incorporate young, versatile defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, veteran linebacker Eric Wilson, and rookie linebacker Jake Golday. I really wanted to see the skills of that trio provide the needed edge depth. That was way more interesting than bringing in some graybeard. I have to admit, seeing the defensive depth chart with Kyle Van Noy on it does make the whole defense look better. I just hope we still get to see Ingram-Dawkins, Wilson, and Golday doing crazy things.