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ESPN Urges MN Vikings to Sign Talented EDGE
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- ESPN Urges MN Vikings to Sign Talented EDGE
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Minnesota Vikings will wait out the next five or six weeks until the start of training camp at TCO Performance Center on August 1. That's where head coach Kevin O'Connell will name his starting quarterback and where we will begin begin gauging expectations for the 2026 regular season.
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In the meantime, general manager Nolan Teasley will continue to make changes to the roster and elsewhere in the Vikings organization. From a player personnel standpoint, Minnesota most glaring weaknesses are on the defensive line.
On the interior, Jalen Redmond will look to capitalize on a career year in 2025, but the Vikings are mostly starting over in that room. Unfortunately, after trading EDGE Jonathan Greenard prior to the NFL Draft, the exterior of the d-line has its own set of depth issues to deal with.
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Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
Dallas Turner is going into his third season and could completely ease Minnesota's pass rush concerns, but there are reported doubts internally over whether or not he is ready for that. Of course, the Vikings still have Andrew Van Ginkel , as well.
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Behind those two, however, proven EDGE talent falls completely off the cliff with Chaz Chambliss , Bo Richter and (possibly) Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and/or Jake Golday, depending on how defensive coordinator Brian Flores decides to use them.
Haason Reddick a fit for Minnesota Vikings
However, the Minnesota Vikings could really use an injection of veteran talent on the EDGE, especially given Van Ginkel's injury history. There have even been recent reports that they are still trying to do exactly that.
Well, DVOA creator and ESPN Insider, Aaron Schatz , thinks veteran OLB Haason Reddick would solve a lot of problems.
Another NFC North team, another questionable depth chart on the edge. The issue here is not Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel but rather the players behind them, led by 2025 fifth-round pick Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and 2024 undrafted free agent Bo Richter.
Reddick had only 2.5 sacks last season, the lowest of the three best available veteran pass rushers, but his 12% pass rush win rate was still impressive: similar to the Chargers' Tuli Tuipulotu and just ahead of the Steelers' T.J. Watt. Reddick's history of playing in flexible 3-4 defenses makes him the best fit for defensive coordinator Brian Flores because he has more experience dropping into coverage on complicated zone blitzes.
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As Schatz points out, Reddick had managed just 2.5 sacks in 2025 . The single sack he put up with the Jets in 2024 won't help his case on the open market, either.
For the four seasons prior however, the now 31-year-old was one of the most productive outside linebackers in football, compiling double-digit sacks in each and earning two Pro Bowl appearance. From 2020-2023, Reddick totalled 50.5 sacks and 218 tackles. He also forced 13 forced fumbles.
Even more impressive: He played on three different teams (Cardinals, Panthers , Eagles) in that time. Reddick's best NFL season, though, came in 2022 with Philadelphia . That season, he earned the only All-Pro nod of his career (2nd team), with 16 sack, 49 tackles and lead the NFL with 5 forced fumbles.
Sack absurdo do Haasan Reddick. pic.twitter.com/Y03tQxCAs6
— The Pick Is In (@ThePickIsInBR) November 21, 2023
Undoubtedly, if he can return to anything close to the guy he once was in Philly, Reddick presents an incredible buy-low opportunity for a MN Vikings team that is borderline desperate for pass-rush help on the outside.
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Flores needs more help for MN Vikings defense
An addition like Reddick makes a ton of sense for the Minnesota Vikings. Last season Brian Flores went into the regular season with just three cornerbacks on the 53-man roster . They have more quality there this year after adding James Pierre to Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers . However, the secondary is still a question.
There is no certainty to the Harrison Smith situation , and the safety position would then leave plenty to be desired. Pass rush is how Flores has traditionally provided help for the guys in coverage, and Reddick dialing up the pressure would be a positive.
Reddick has shown he can pin his ears back, and he'd be capable of playing either the Turner or Van Ginkel spots. As a rotational talent, the expectation that he pushes the group as a whole makes sense. Minnesota has $13 million in cap space , and it isn't being saved to go unused.
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