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Signs deal with Minnesota
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 7:53 PM
The Vikings signed Johnson on Wednesday, Lindsey Young of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: The details of the contract are unknown at this point, but Johnson will be linking up with his third team in as many years. He played a depth role on the interior of Indianapolis' defensive line in 2025, logging 131 defensive snaps over 12 games. He joins rookie first-rounder Caleb Banks (foot) and rookie third-rounder Domonique Orange as recent acquisitions meant to beef up Minnesota's defensive front. |
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Jordan Addison Jordan Addison Fifth-year option made official
Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 12:01 PM
The Vikings exercised Addison's fifth-year option Monday.
Analysis: Vikings EVP of football operations Rob Brzezinski said last month that the team would be making this move, and it's now official. Addison will earn $18 million in 2027 as a result. The 23rd overall pick in the 2023 Draft, Addison has shown flashes of big-time playmaking ability during his first three seasons, but he also was a victim of extremely poor quarterback play during the 2025 campaign. With Kyler Murray now in town to compete with J.J. McCarthy (hand), the Vikings are banking on more competency under center, which should obviously help Justin Jefferson and Addison produce better numbers in the box score. |
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Signs with Minnesota as UDFA
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 10:29 PM
The Vikings signed Sanders as an undrafted free agent Saturday.
Analysis: Sanders played four seasons with Georgia Southern and had his best campaign last year, when he produced 797 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 50 catches. He was one of four wideouts signed as UDFAs by the Vikings on Saturday along with Dillon Bell, Luke Wysong and Shaleak Knotts. |
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Lands with Minnesota as UDFA
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 10:24 PM
Knotts signed with the Vikings on Saturday.
Analysis: Knotts played his four collegiate seasons with Maryland and got his first big opportunity last year, when he tallied 717 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 44 catches. Minnesota has a WR corps led by Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and Knotts may be destined for a spot on the practice squad unless he makes a big impression during training camp. |
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Joining Vikings
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 10:12 PM
Wysong signed with Minnesota as an undrafted free agent Saturday.
Analysis: Wysong played his first four collegiate campaigns with the University of New Mexico before transferring to Arizona for his final season. With the Wildcats, he tallied 24 catches for 278 yards and two touchdowns while also working as a punt returner. Wysong has a tough path to a roster spot with the Vikings, but he'll try to impress with his skill set during training camp. |
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Gets opportunity with Minnesota
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 9:59 PM
The Vikings signed Bell as an undrafted free agent Saturday.
Analysis: Bell played four collegiate seasons with Georgia and recorded 27 receptions for 268 yards and two touchdowns in his final campaign. He also carried the ball 17 times for 109 yards and two scores. Per The Beast, Bell considers himself a "positionless player," which both highlights his versatility and suggests that he doesn't have a clear path to a regular role in the NFL. He may need to prove himself on the practice squad to get an opportunity on gamedays for Minnesota. |
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Joins Vikings as UDFA
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 9:48 PM
Minnesota signed Owens as an undrafted free agent Saturday.
Analysis: Owens spent his five collegiate seasons with Florida International and broke out in his first big opportunity as a senior, racking up 1,334 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns on 213 carries (6.3 YPC). He added 67 yards on 18 receptions as a pass catcher. Minnesota features Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason and Zavier Scott at RB, so Owens may need to earn his way to an opportunity on NFL gamedays via the practice squad. |
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Picked up by Vikings
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 5:22 PM
The Vikings selected Gerhardt in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 235th overall.
Analysis: Gerhardt started four years at Cincinnati and didn't allow a single sack during the 2025 season, blocking for star quarterback Brendan Sorsby. He'll settle into a depth role along a Vikings offensive line that allowed the fourth-most sacks in the league last season. As a late seventh-round selection, Gerhardt will likely need to prove his worth in camp to guarantee himself a 53-man roster spot this fall. |
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Scooped by Vikings
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 3:53 PM
The Vikings selected Claiborne in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 198th overall.
Analysis: Claiborne brings a dynamic skillset to Minnesota after four years at Wake Forest -- two as a starter. The 22-year-old is a patient runner with the speed (4.37 40-yard dash) to break open a play when he sees daylight. At 5-foot-10, 188 pounds, he doesn't project as a consistent threat between the tackles, but there's clear upside if the Vikings can get him into space. Over his final two seasons, Claiborne rushed 407 times for 1,956 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding 51 receptions for 194 yards and two scores. Claiborne could earn his keep in a third-down role if he can tidy up his pass blocking, but it's a crowded room for now with 31-year-old Aaron Jones leading the way ahead of Jordan Mason and Zavier Scott. |
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Taken by Vikings
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 2:04 PM
The Vikings selected Demmings in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 163rd overall.
Analysis: Demmings (6-foot-1, 193 pounds) heads to Minnesota after five years at Stephen F. Austin, serving as a starter for the final 3.5 seasons. He never recorded more than 18 tackles in a season, but he piled up 39 pass breakups and eight interceptions over 32 games through his final three years. With a 4.41 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, Demmings has the tools and experience to develop into a starter in the NFL, and his physicality should provide an immediate boost on special teams. |
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Picked by Vikings
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 1:53 PM
The Vikings selected Bredeson in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 159th overall.
Analysis: For a fullback to go in the fifth round these days is to all but set aside a roster spot for him, though Bredeson's lack of athletic testing makes it difficult to assess how notable of a fullback prospect he might be. Either way, the Michigan product has a good chance to make the Minnesota roster following the retirement of longtime standout fullback C.J. Ham. |
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Goes to Minnesota
Fri, Apr 24, 2026, 10:10 PM
The Vikings selected Thomas in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 98th overall.
Analysis: Thomas transferred to Miami for his fifth and final college season, where he established himself as a key piece in the Hurricanes secondary en route to an appearance in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Indiana. He started in all 16 games in 2025 and was named as the Fiesta Bowl MVP and to the All-ACC Second-Team after posting 76 total tackles, including 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 11 pass defenses (five interceptions). Thomas is an avid playmaker both in coverage and as a run stopper, and while that aggressiveness led to game-changing plays in college, he'll have to be careful not to get exposed at the NFL level. Thomas will have the chance to compete against Theo Jackson and Jay Ward for the second starting safety job alongside Josh Metellus (shoulder). |
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Drafted by Vikings
Fri, Apr 24, 2026, 10:09 PM
The Vikings selected Tiernan in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 97th overall.
Analysis: Tiernan (6-foot-8, 323 pounds) boasts a dominating frame and notable experience, having started the last three-and-a-half seasons at Northwestern. The 32-and-2/8-inch arm length Tiernan logged at the 2026 NFL Combine somewhat undercuts excitement about his size, though he made up for that by showcasing significant explosiveness via a 35.5-inch vertical. Tiernan will kick off his career in a depth role behind LT Christian Darrisaw, who struggled to play through a knee injury in 2025 but should be back to full form for the 2026 campaign. |
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Snagged by Minnesota
Fri, Apr 24, 2026, 9:22 PM
The Vikings selected Orange in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 82nd overall.
Analysis: Orange (6-foot-2, 322 pounds) emerged as an effective run stopper while starting the last 2.5 of his four total seasons at Iowa State, though he totaled only 1.0 sack in his collegiate career. He pencils in as the backup and No. 2 rotational man at nose tackle behind fellow rookie Caleb Banks (foot), whom Minnesota selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft at No. 18 overall. Banks is recovering from a fractured foot and expected to be healthy around June, so Orange could benefit from increased reps throughout the spring and early summer. |
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Picked by Vikings
Fri, Apr 24, 2026, 7:27 PM
The Vikings selected Golday in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 51st overall.
Analysis: Although he started his college career at FCS Central Arkansas, Golday (6-foot-5, 239 pounds) looked like a five-star recruit getting off the bus for Cincinnati, and he showed at the combine that he's also a standout athlete by NFL standards (4.62-second 40-yard dash, 39-inch vertical jump). Ivan Pace fell off hard following his promising rookie year, so before the Golday selection the Vikings didn't know who would play in nickel formations alongside Blake Cashman. Although he still needs to earn it, Golday is expected to secure a three-down role at some point before his rookie year concludes. |
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Picked by Vikings
Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 8:57 PM
The Vikings selected Banks (foot) in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 18th overall.
Analysis: Banks (6-foot-6, 327 pounds) is more theory than practice to this point, but it's easy enough to see why the theoretical versions of Banks are so tempting to NFL coaches. Banks' 5.04-second 40 and 114-inch broad jump aren't numbers you see for guys as big as Banks or with Banks' 35-inch arms, so it's easy to envision the Vikings' new defensive tackle establishing a wide lateral reach at the line of scrimmage to trap ball carriers and collapse the pocket. The fractured foot that Banks incurred at the February Combine is believed to be a non-issue -- the recovery is expected to complete itself some time in June. |
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Signs as restricted free agent
Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 4:06 PM
Pace signed a one-year contract with the Vikings on Monday.
Analysis: No organization submitted a better offer sheet for Pace's services in the restricted free agency window. As such, the linebacker has signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract to remain with the Vikings through the 2026 season. The 25-year-old was a reliable depth piece in 2025, playing heavy snaps to start the year before returning to the reserve role that he will likely maintain in 2026. |
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Inks tender with Vikings
Tue, Apr 14, 2026, 3:50 PM
Redmond officially signed his exclusive rights free-agent tender with Minnesota on Tuesday, Howard Balzer of USA Today reports.
Analysis: Redmond will officially remain with the Vikings on a one-year deal for the 2026 season after having logged a breakout campaign in 2025. Last year, Redmond totaled 62 tackles (33 solo), including 6.0 sacks, five pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble while suiting up for all 17 regular-season games (15 starts). |
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Jordan Addison Jordan Addison Fifth year option to be exercised
Mon, Mar 30, 2026, 4:19 PM
Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski noted Monday that the Vikings plan to exercise the fifth-year option on Addison's rookie contract.
Analysis: Once they do so, Addison -- who was the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft -- would remain under contract with the Vikings through the 2027 season. In 14 regular-season games in 2025, the 24-year-old compiled a 42-610-3 line on 79 targets while working alongside top WR Justin Jefferson. QB consistency was an issue that impacted the duo's production last year, but the signing of Kyler Murray (formerly of the Cardinals) earlier this month could lead to an uptick in Addison's 2026 upside, should Murray earn the starting job over J.J. McCarthy, and in the process engineer a bounce-back effort following his change of scenery. |
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Officially joins Minnesota
Fri, Mar 20, 2026, 7:53 PM
The Bills declined to match Minnesota's offer sheet on Van Demark on Friday.
Analysis: Van Demark officially is a member of the Vikings on a one-year, $4.2 million deal after signing the offer sheet as a restricted free agent earlier in the week. Van Demark appeared in all 17 regular-season games last season, making four starts, seeing snaps at both left tackle and right tackle. |
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