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Why Development on the Vikings Defensive Line is the Key to Success
With the exception of guys like Andrew Van Ginkel, the Vikings defensive line looks very youthful. The next-oldest is Jalen Redmond at just 27. Development on the Vikings defensive line is going to be a key aspect of the team’s potential success this season.
Why Development on the Vikings Defensive Line is the Key to Success
Minnesota has added Kyle Van Noy to the practice squad and I expect him to come into the mix for some much-needed experience on the edge.
The Vikings are confident in a third-year jump from Dallas Turner to become the team’s leading pass rusher. He needs to step up after Jonathan Greenard was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Turner showed development last year but certainly needs to make another jump.
The word coming out of Minnesota is that they believe Turner has gone up another heat this offseason. Hopefully, they are right and a true breakout season is in the cards. Bo Richter and Chaz Chambliss fill out the depth chart with very little on-field experience.
It is on the interior where the Vikings are very inexperienced with Redmond the senior man with just 30 games to his name. Levi Drake Rodriguez (18 games) and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (14 games) will start the season ahead of rookies Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange on the depth chart.
Redmond has been a great find after being plucked from the UFL after failing to make the grade originally in the NFL. He quickly became a good all-around defensive tackle and the best player on the interior for the Vikings last season. What’s his ceiling? Can he still get better? If the answer is yes then the Vikings could have an excellent player on their hands; if it’s no then they still have a good player to build the rest of the interior defensive line around.
Minnesota decided on a youth movement on the interior when they released Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen and used two early draft picks on Banks (first round) and Orange (third round). It was a brave move with the lack of experience left on the roster and with Banks coming in on the back of injuries and being seen as a developmental pick. If it works as planned the Vikings defensive line could be set for years to come, but it is likely to take time to develop, but how long will that take?
Vikings Defensive Line Can Grow Into A Good Unit
The Vikings defensive line is all about potential at the moment.
In their defensive line rankings heading into the 2026 season Pro Football Focus had the Vikings unit at 22nd, just ahead of the bottom third across the league. It did come with the caveat that with development from the younger players, they could quickly climb the rankings. The rankings were also made before the addition of Van Noy.
Trading away Jonathan Greenard leaves the Vikings without the player who led their defensive line in both PFF pass-rush grade and total pressures last season. Minnesota will be counting on Dallas Turner to help fill that void after he took a significant step forward in 2025 following a difficult rookie season.
The Vikings also used a first-round pick on Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks. If Turner continues to develop and Banks makes an immediate impact as a rookie, this group could quickly climb the rankings.
Brian Flores is good at getting results from his defense no matter who he has at his disposal. He is not afraid of getting exotic sending pressure, but the more the Vikings can do without having to send five or six players on a blitz the better the defense will be. The Flores’ mad scientist approach can bamboozle QBs – especially young ones – but it can also leave the secondary very exposed if a QB can beat the blitz.
A key part of an overall better defense this season will be a better run defense. Last year Minnesota allowed 2110 rushing yards, or 124 yards per game. That is too high. Stopping the run and getting teams into 3rd and long allows Flores to dip into his bag of tricks. The more often that happens the better. The development of the massive nose tackle, Orange, will be crucial in that regard.
How good is this Vikings defensive line? I believe it can be a strong unit but there is a lot of projecting in that statement. Development is needed from everyone but the vastly experienced Van Ginkel and Van Noy. If that does happen the Vikings will be well set up for success on the defensive side of the ball.
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