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Minnesota Vikings DST

Player Outlook
Brian Flores calls one of the most aggressive defenses in the NFL, with constant pressure that led to 49 sacks and 24 turnovers during the 2025 season. The Vikings also allowed just 19.6 points per game (seventh-fewest), 158.5 passing yards per game (second-fewest), and 318.5 total yards per game (third-fewest) in 2025. Flores re-signed with the Vikings, and they have since added more talent to their defense via the draft. After finishing as a top-12 scoring DST in 2025, there is no reason to believe Minnesota will regress in 2026. Draft them with confidence.

Fantasy News

  • Monkell Goodwine: Gets cut with injury settlement

    Rotowire
    Minnesota waived Goodwine (undisclosed) with an injury settlement Tuesday, per the NFL's transactions log. If he doesn't get claimed by another team, Goodwine is on track to become an unrestricted free agent. The undrafted rookie would be available to play as soon as he has recovered from his injury.
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  • Vikings' Isaiahh Loudermilk: Links up with Vikings

    Rotowire
    Loudermilk signed with the Vikings on Thursday. Loudermilk suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 2 of the 2025 season and subsequently didn't return to action. The 2021 fifth-round pick out of Wisconsin spent five years with the Steelers in a reserve role, as he never surpassed 275 defensive snaps or 23 tackles -- both marks he set in his rookie year. Loudermilk will add depth to the Vikings' stout defensive line.
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  • Vikings' Charles Demmings: Taken by Vikings

    Rotowire
    The Vikings selected Demmings in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 163rd overall. 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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  • Eagles' Jonathan Greenard: Dealt to Philadelphia

    Rotowire
    The Eagles have traded a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft as well as a 2027 third-round pick to Minnesota in exchange for Greenard (shoulder) and the 244th overall pick of this year's draft, Lindsey Young of the Vikings' official site reports. Greenard also is signing a four-year extension worth up to $100 million with his new team, per NFL reporter Jordan Schultz. The veteran is coming off a lackluster 2025 campaign in which he recorded just 38 tackles (19 solo), including 3.0 sacks, across 12 regular-season appearances, but he totaled 24.5 sacks across the 2023 and 2024 seasons and will now be a prime bounceback candidate under Philadelphia defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Greenard is recovering from season-ending shoulder surgery undergone in December.
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  • Jaylon Hutchings: Cut by Minnesota

    Rotowire
    The Vikings waived Hutchings (undisclosed) with a non-football injury designation Tuesday. Hutchings went undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2024 and has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL contest.
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  • Vikings' Ivan Pace: Signs as restricted free agent

    Rotowire
    Pace signed a one-year contract with the Vikings on Monday. 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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  • Vikings' Jalen Redmond: Inks tender with Vikings

    Rotowire
    Redmond officially signed his exclusive rights free-agent tender with Minnesota on Tuesday, Howard Balzer of USA Today reports. Redmond will officially remain with the Vikings on a one-year deal after a breakout campaign in 2025. The defensive tackle totaled 62 tackles (33 solo), including 6.0 sacks, with five pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble while suiting up for all 17 regular-season games and starting 15 of them.
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  • Stephon Gilmore: Hanging it up after 13 seasons

    Rotowire
    Gilmore announced his retirement from the NFL after 13 seasons Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Gilmore will hang up his cleats after a rather impressive career, most notably being selected as a first-team All-Pro twice while also winning the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019. The cornerback compiled 617 total tackles (521 solo), 149 passes defensed, including 32 interceptions, while also adding eight forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries over 180 regular-season contests with the Bills, Patriots, Panthers, Colts, Cowboys and Vikings. Gilmore was also a Super Bowl champion with the Patriots in 2018.
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  • Bengals' Jonathan Allen: Coming to Cincinnati

    Rotowire
    Allen and the Bengals agreed to terms on a two-year, $26 million deal Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The 31-year-old defensive lineman from Alabama is set to join the Bengals after spending his 2025 campaign with the Vikings. Allen has appeared in 25 regular-season games over the last two seasons, recording 87 total tackles, including 6.5 sacks. Additionally, he earned Pro Bowl selections in 2021 and 2022 while playing for the Commanders. Now in Cincinnati, Allen is expected to operate as the Bengals' top interior defensive lineman during the 2026 season.
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  • Packers' Javon Hargrave: Inks two-year deal with Green Bay

    Rotowire
    The Packers agreed to terms with Hargrave on a two-year, $23 million contract Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Hargrave was released by Minnesota in a cost-cutting move earlier Wednesday. He quickly lands back on his feet with the division-rival Packers. Now 33 years old, Hargrave remains productive after accruing 52 tackles (18 solo), including 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery across 16 regular-season contests in 2025. He figures to slot in at nose tackle for Green Bay.
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  • Harrison Smith: Released by Vikings

    Rotowire
    Minnesota announced the release of Smith with a post-June 1 designation Wednesday, Craig Peters of the team's official site reports. The transaction is largely procedural, as it allows the Vikings to avoid a $25 million base salary guarantee for 2026 in Smith's contract. Tyler Forness of A to Z Sports reports that Smith has not yet made a decision regarding whether to return for a 15th season in the NFL, but if he does decide to play in 2026 a reunion with Minnesota would seem likely. Across 15 regular-season appearances in 2025, Smith logged 54 tackles (37 solo), including 1.0 sacks, 10 defensed passes (including two interceptions), a forced fumble and a recovered fumble.
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  • Javon Hargrave: Let go by Vikings

    Rotowire
    Hargrave is slated to be released by Minnesota on Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Hargrave's release doesn't come as a surprise, as the team informed him of the planned transaction in early March, and a trade never seemed likely to materialized. The veteran defensive tackle stands to draw solid interest as a free agent.
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  • Vikings' Tavierre Thomas: Returning to Minnesota

    Rotowire
    Thomas is re-signing with the Vikings on a two-year, $4.6 million contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Thomas played all 17 regular-season games with Minnesota in 2025, operating as a versatile depth option at cornerback and a key special-teams contributor. The eight-year veteran projects to handle a similar role over the next two seasons.
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  • Vikings' Eric Wilson: Inks long-term deal with Minnesota

    Rotowire
    Wilson and the Vikings agreed on a three-year, $22.5 million contract with $12.5 million fully guaranteed Sunday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Wilson made his return to Minnesota in 2025 after leaving the team following the 2020 campaign. The linebacker stepped up his production with the Vikings, recording 115 total tackles (60 solo), which was his highest total since 2020, while also notching a career-high 6.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. As a result of the monster year, he now has been rewarded handsomely with a lucrative three-year deal.
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  • Vikings' Jonathan Allen: Slated to be released

    Rotowire
    The Vikings are expected to release Allen in the coming days, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. Allen inked a three-year, $51 million deal with the Vikings last offseason, but Minnesota is way over the salary cap and needs to make cost-cutting moves. In releasing Allen, Minnesota would clear $6.5 million in cap space but also retain more than $17.3 million in dead money. In his lone season with the Vikings, Allen started all 17 regular-season contests, recording a career-high 68 tackles (29 solo), including 3.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery on 76 percent of the defensive snaps.
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  • Vikings' Jalen Redmond: Tendered by Minnesota

    Rotowire
    The Vikings placed an exclusive rights free-agent tender on Redmond on Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. Redmond will be back with Minnesota for the 2026 campaign after having a breakout second season with the Vikings. He started 15 of 17 regular-season contests in 2025 and recorded 62 tackles (33 solo), including 6.0 sacks, five pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble on 74 percent of the defensive snaps.
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  • Vikings' Jonathan Greenard: Could be traded

    Rotowire
    The Vikings are open to trading Greenard (shoulder), Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Greenard could be a cap casualty for Minnesota. The 28-year-old racked up 24.5 sacks across the 2023 and 2024 seasons but had a down season in 2025, recording just 38 tackles (19 solo), including 3.0 sacks, across 12 games.
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  • Vikings' Javon Hargrave: Set to be cut by Minnesota

    Rotowire
    The Vikings informed Hargrave that he will be released at the start of the league year March 11 barring a trade, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Hargrave was set to enter the second and final year of his contract in 2026, but his departure will save the Vikings approximately $10.9 million in salary cap space. The 33-year-old finished the 2025 regular season with 52 tackles (18 solo), including 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery across 16 games. Once the move is official, Hargrave should draw plenty of interest from teams looking to add a veteran defensive lineman in free agency.
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  • Vikings' Jay Ward: Moves up to bigger role in 2025

    Rotowire
    Ward played in all 17 of Minnesota's games last season, making five starts and recording 27 tackles along with a recovered fumble. Ward logged just 62 defensive snaps over 33 regular-season contests in his first two NFL campaigns, but he was much more involved on defense in 2025 with 249 defensive snaps. The 2023 fourth-round draft pick made his first NFL start in Week 10 and then started each of the Vikings' final three contests after Josh Metellus (shoulder) landed on IR. Ward will be in the final season of his rookie contract in 2026, and if Harrison Smith decides to retire, Ward could be tabbed for a starting role.
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  • Vikings' Levi Drake Rodriguez: Registers 2.0 sacks in Year 2

    Rotowire
    Rodriguez posted 43 tackles (including 2.0 sacks) over 16 games (two starts) during the 2025 campaign. Rodriguez played in just two games as a rookie, but he was much more involved during his sophomore NFL campaign. The 2024 seventh-round draft pick played over half of Minnesota's defensive snaps in eight contests, including in each of the final three games of the regular season. Rodriguez will be in the third year of his rookie contract in 2026 and figures to again play a significant role for the Vikings' defense.
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