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Vikings Could Still Target 3 Positions This Summer for Upgrades
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- Vikings Could Still Target 3 Positions This Summer for Upgrades
Kirby Lee
Either via free agency — the most probable route — or from trades , the Minnesota Vikings may not be finished with meaningful roster upgrades.
Minnesota has a strong roster, though a few depth-chart pressure points remain.
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This tweet circulated on Twitter (X) Monday.
Three Spots Still Worth Monitoring Before Training Camp
So, here's a look at what Minnesota has and who it could pursue for those three roster spots.
Minnesota Vikings safety Xavier Woods celebrates a defensive stop against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter on Nov. 28, 2021, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Woods helped anchor Minnesota's secondary as the Vikings battled San Francisco in an important NFC matchup during the middle stretch of the regular season. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports.
Safety
These are the Vikings' safeties as of May 25th:
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Jakobe Thomas
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Jacob Thomas
It's worth noting that Harrison Smith could return, too, though there is absolutely no timetable on that decision or lack thereof. Fans must brace for the fact that Smith might've retired without saying a word.
Whether this group can hang tough by itself is in the eye of the beholder, hinges on injuries, and depends on Metellus. He played most of the 2025 season with a torn labrum and just wasn't himself. The pain would also be lessened for this group if rookie Jakobe Thomas is ready to strut his stuff as a rookie. Maybe; maybe not.
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If the Vikings want a free-agent safety, these are the veteran options at the moment:
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Xavier Woods
Our Adam New wrote about the idea of a Xavier Woods reunion before the draft, "The Vikings need help at safety, and one option they could turn to is an old friend. Xavier Woods spent one year in Minnesota back in 2021 and had a solid season."
"He never stayed for the start of Kevin O'Connell's tenure, but remained a solid DB over three seasons in Carolina and last year in Tennessee . Now 30 years old, Woods could come in as a solid veteran presence while the Vikings turn to the draft to find their long-term solution."
OLB
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With the caveat that rookie linebacker Jake Golday could play on the EDGE as a tweener — Brian Flores loves that stuff — here's the OLB group:
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Dallas Turner
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Cam'Ron Stewart
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Arden Walker
Because it's unclear if Richter and Batty are ready for a snap-count spike, this is the most fragile EDGE group for the Vikings in years. The club traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles in April, transforming the OLB section of the depth chart from the team's almighty strength to a lingering question mark.
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jadeveon Clowney watches from the field during the second half against the Green Bay Packers on Sep. 28, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Clowney continued his role along Dallas' defensive front as the Cowboys squared off against Green Bay in a notable NFC matchup. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images.
Of course, if Golday shows up to training camp and looks like the real deal, the problem is solved. However, as of late, most Vikings rookies don't play right away.
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An easy way to think of it? If the Vikings sign another big-name free agent in the coming weeks, it'll probably be an outside linebacker.
These are the free-agent options:
Zone Coverage 's Trevor Ripley noted on Clowney a few weeks ago, "With run defense addressed in the draft, Clowney would be the perfect player to rush the passer on third down, or even fill in for a few games if needed. While Turner came on strong last season, leading the Vikings with eight sacks, his development is still in progress."
"Clowney is a savvy vet. Despite being a one-year import, he offers far more skill and experience than Minnesota has at rotational edge. Behind Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel , the next two men up would likely be Tyler Batty and Bo Richter, who have combined for 24 tackles and 0 sacks in their short careers."
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Center
The centers in Minnesota as of late May:
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Gavin Gerhardt
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Delby Lemieux
Most fans were totally convinced that Minnesota would leave April's draft with a center before the end of Round 4 or so. But they swerved, waiting until Round 7, which turned out to be Gerhardt. The coaching staff said after the draft that it loved Gerhardt and that he was "their guy" all along; it's just rare for a 7th-Rounder to start right away — or at all.
Cleveland Browns center Ethan Pocic walks off the field following a loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 30, 2025, at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Pocic and the Browns' offense struggled against San Francisco as Cleveland absorbed another defeat during the late stages of the regular season. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images.
That leaves Brandel on tap for Week 1 center duty, a man who performed admirably at the position in 2025 during fill-in duty. The previous center, Ryan Kelly, retired this offseason because of multiple concussions.
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The free-agent center market? Skimpy.
The Vikings, in theory, could also explore Miami Dolphins center Aaron Brewer via trade, who has ties to new assistant head coach Frank Smith. A backup center, like Matt Hennessy in Dallas, might make sense as well.
If Minnesota wanted a better center than Brandel, that ship has largely sailed — unless Gerhardt is a sudden stud.
