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Vikings Have a Sweet EDGE Rusher Twist
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- Vikings Have a Sweet EDGE Rusher Twist
Kirby Lee
After trading Jonathan Greenard in late April to the Philadelphia Eagles , the Minnesota Vikings arguably need another outside linebacker for additional depth — and that man may already be in-house. A rookie from last year, defensive tackle Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins , is flirting with a switch to OLB, or at least some form of hybrid duty.
If the experiment clicks, Minnesota won't need any more free-agent power from the open market.
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Vikings Defensive Depth Chart Gets a New Summer Experiment
Georgia defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins works through on-field testing at the NFL Combine, showcasing his athletic traits in front of league evaluators. On Feb. 27, 2025, Ingram-Dawkins participated in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis as teams gathered information ahead of the NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Ingram-Dawkins on the Change
Ingram-Dawnkins filled an EDGE role at organized team activities, and KSTP's Darren Wolfson asked him about it.
"I just cleaned up my body a lot in the offseason. I mean, I'm still 280 pounds. Why was it important to clean up your body? You know, just trying to make a big, big jump from my last year. You know, I feel like that was one of the things that I could work on in my game. You know, developing a core and all that, that'll help me in my techniques with all the versatile positions that I'm playing across the line," he replied .
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"The main focus was to just clean up my body. You know, I feel like that could only help me with how versatile I'm using, I'm being used across the line with all positions. You know, I just feel like I can play all around the line and wherever they wanna plug me and play me. That's, I'm gonna just put my all into that."
One of the perks of drafting Ingram-Dawkins was this very possibility — tweener capabilities between DT and OLB.
Kevin O'Connell Breaks It Down
The Vikings skipper also commented on Ingram-Dawkins' OLB snaps: "One of the things we really liked about him was his versatility. He did a lot of different things at Georgia, and he's a really heavy presence on the edge. When we're trying to run the ball out at that Christian Darrisaw gap out there, and then he's out there setting the edge, that's different."
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"And then his versatility to get kick inside, I don't know if we'll see him get much tighter than maybe a three, but from the 3T all the way out to the edge, that's a really versatile player. And then you pair that with what Caleb Banks can be from a versatile standpoint, really being kind of from that 4i/5T on down; it's exciting. And he's had a really good sprint, and that kind of year to jump; we're hoping that it's happening right now."
At least from a summer perspective, the plan is in motion.
What the EDGEs Might Look Like
Examining Minnesota's OLBs used to be the fun part of roster analysis — until Greenard was traded. Now, the group seems to be missing a link unless Turner erupts into a full-blown star.
Georgia defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins finishes a series of workouts and testing exercises during a pivotal pre-draft showcase. On Feb. 27, 2025, Ingram-Dawkins took part in combine activities at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, meeting with scouts and demonstrating his physical tools before the NFL Draft process intensified. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
But pretend momentarily that the Vikings convert Ingram-Dawkins. The EDGE room would look like this:
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OLB1: Andrew Van Ginkel
OLB2: Dallas Turner
OLB3: Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
OLB4: Bo Richter
OLB5: Tyler Batty
OLB6: Chaz Chambliss
OLB7: Cam'Ron Stewart
OLB8: Arden Walker
It's unclear if Ingram-Dawkins can morph into a stud OLB3, but his versatility alleviates the depth concerns, if only a little bit.
Richter, Batty, or a Free Agent? Jake Golday?
Now — pretend Ingram-Dawkings doesn't play much at OLB in 2026, and in hindsight, that was just a summer theory that didn't go far. Richter and Batty may be ready for expanded roles, and Jake Golday could emerge as an intriguing inside-outside linebacker.
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But the speculation forms a shaky OLB foundation for a team aiming to win playoff games.
While Golday could impress at training camp, Richter could evolve beyond a special teams ace, Batty might quickly prove his capabilities, and Flores could deploy Ingram-Dawkins in a pressure package, much of this remains hypothetical. The Vikings shouldn't equate such conjecture with genuine roster depth .
Minnesota's roster is otherwise solid, making the third outside linebacker spot arguably their biggest remaining question mark before the season. The starting positions are secure; the real concern is potential injuries or whether younger players need more development time.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Bo Richter tracks the football while dropping into coverage during preseason action against Philadelphia. On Aug. 24, 2024, Richter attempted to come away with an interception in the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field, displaying versatility as Minnesota evaluated young defenders before roster decisions. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-USA TODAY Sports.
If Richter, Batty, Ingram-Dawkins, and Golday are not the OLB3 answer, here's the external list of options from free agency:
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The Vikings have about $13-14 million in cap space if they need an extra outside linebacker.
Ingram-Dawkins's role will become clearer at training camp, which is seven weeks away.
