The Minnesota Vikings ' 2025 campaign is nearing its end, a rollercoaster journey in which some believed the team could make some noise in the postseason, but it ended in playoff elimination by the second week of December. Along the way, a few newcomers have stood off the page.
Some new players arrived with hype, others with quiet expectations, but the most valuable additions showed up in the plays that swung drives, flipped field position, and stabilized shaky spots.
Thankfully, most of the players on the list are connected to the Vikings in 2026 and after.
Listed in alphabetical order, these are the Vikings' best new additions.
Minnesota Vikings guard Donovan Jackson works through position drills during offseason minicamp at the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility, with Jun. 10, 2025 highlighted as an evaluation period for the rookie lineman. Jackson focused on footwork and hand placement as coaches assessed interior depth, technique consistency, and readiness for expanded reps ahead of training camp. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
1. Donovan Jackson | LG
Jackson's rookie season hasn't exactly jumped off the page through the lens of Pro Football Focus , but the underlying picture is more stable than the raw grade suggests. His overall mark sits in the high 50s after 15 weeks, yet the pass protection tells a more useful story.
The rookie has allowed only two sacks and four quarterback hits across 613 offensive snaps, a workload that matters when judging interior linemen. That kind of efficiency doesn't happen by accident, even if the tape still includes growing pains. The pressure totals — 21 allowed, ranking 39th among interior blockers — land squarely in the "survivable" range for a rookie seeing this much action.
There's cleanup left to do, particularly with four penalties that have stalled drives, but the trend isn't alarming. If anything, the oddest detail is where Jackson has looked most comfortable. His two strongest outings have come against Chicago , clearing a 70.0 PFF grade both times — a strange but encouraging pattern as he continues to settle into the role.
2. Myles Price | WR, KR, PR
The Vikings don't use Price on offense, but in the special teams return realm, he's developing into one of the NFL's most dangerous assets.
An undrafted rookie out of Indiana doesn't usually carry much weight in an NFL context, but that's no longer the case here. Price didn't just win return duties in Minnesota — he locked them down, probably for the next few seasons.
By the numbers, the production backs it up. Price sits inside the league's top 10 in kick return average among qualified players, ripping off 26.0 yards per return and consistently flipping field position. His punt work is slightly less explosive but still solid (9.9 yards per return), hovering just outside the top tier while remaining dependable enough to trust.
What the stats don't fully capture is the feeling. Every time Price touches the ball, it looks like he's a step away from breaking one. Too often, Minnesota's return units sabotage those chances with penalties or miscues, but the math suggests that eventually one clean rep will be enough — and it'll go the distance.
Offensively, there's nothing to see yet. Price has logged only 14 snaps from scrimmage, and that restraint makes sense for now. The immediate to-do list sits elsewhere. Four fumbles as a rookie are too many, and ball security will be the priority heading into 2026 if Price is going to keep this role long-term.
3. Isaiah Rodgers | CB
Rodgers is a good cornerback; he's not an elite specimen.
The speedster made a name for himself in Week 3 by crushing the Cincinnati Bengals — personally — with two defensive touchdowns, flawless pass coverage, and two forced fumbles. He scored an absolutely perfect grade from Pro Football Focus, which had evidently never been done before.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers sprints downfield after securing an interception and returning it 87 yards for a touchdown during first-half action at U.S. Bank Stadium, with the date Sep. 21, 2025, marking a momentum-shifting play. Rodgers' burst and vision flipped field position instantly, energizing the crowd and reinforcing Minnesota's emphasis on aggressive, takeaway-driven defense. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Rodgers hasn't quite replicated the Week 3 breakout — is that even possible? — but he's a steady CB2 on the 2025 team. His tackling could stand to improve, but general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was onto something when making Rodgers his very first free-agent acquisition last March.
4. Eric Wilson | LB
Wilson came back to Minnesota as a depth piece, a familiar name returning to the place that first gave him a shot in 2017. Nothing more was expected. Then Blake Cashman pulled a hamstring in Week 2, and Wilson was shoved into the lineup immediately.
He didn't give the job back.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson reacts following a defensive stop during second-half action at U.S. Bank Stadium, with the date Dec. 7, 2025, capturing a physical matchup against Washington. Wilson tracked plays sideline to sideline, remaining vocal and engaged as Minnesota leaned on veteran communication and discipline while closing out a controlled defensive performance. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Wilson played well enough that Brian Flores never took him off the field, even after Cashman returned. The ripple effect was notable: Ivan Pace Jr. was benched against Philadelphia and didn't see a single defensive snap. That wasn't a rotation choice. It was a statement.
And it's held. Wilson has stayed ahead of Pace Jr. ever since.
At 31, Wilson has turned into one of the season's quiet revelations. He's piled up 98 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 8 quarterback hits, 5.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. More telling? He leads all NFL inside linebackers in quarterback pressures with 31.
