The Minnesota Vikings signed a three-time All-Pro safety in Jamal Adams just ahead of training camp, though it appears they did so in order to play him at linebacker.
Adams switched positions from the secondary to LB last year, during his sole season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Kevin Seifert of ESPN wrote on Monday, July 27 that he doesn’t expect the Vikings to flip Adams back to the safety position in 2026, which means he may have little to no impact on the future of Harrison Smith with the organization.
“Jamal Adams is a good source, but just in case his X post left anything vague, he did indeed agree to terms with the Vikings,” Seifert wrote on X. “For those asking about a connection to Harrison Smith’s future, remember that [Adams] was a linebacker — not a safety — last year for Las Vegas.”
However, if Adams is gonna stick at the linebacker spot, there is a chance that the Vikings consider bumping second-round pick Jake Golday to the outside LB position, which essentially functions as the primary edge-rushing duo in Brian Flores‘ defense.
Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel are the two starters on the edge heading into training camp, and they are backed up to two recent undrafted free agents — Bo Richter (2024) and Chaz Chambliss (2025).
Golday began his collegiate career as a defensive end, which is the closest equivalent to the edge-rushing OLB position in the NFL. As such, he could potentially add some needed depth to the position group if Flores feels comfortable kicking him outside after bringing in Adams, who is an adept and proven blitzer from the inside linebacker spot.
Jake Golday Did Not Practice With Pass-Rush Group Prior to Training Camp
GettyLinebacker Jake Golday of the Minnesota Vikings.
Tyler Forness of A to Z Sports wrote on Monday night that he doesn’t believe Minnesota will move Golday to the outside, citing comments the second-round pick (No. 51 overall) made earlier this offseason about how the defense was deploying him.
“The Vikings are planning on keeping Jamal Adams at linebacker, which I think is good. He was a positive there for the Raiders last year,” Forness posted to X. “What I don’t think this means is Jake Golday is going to all of a sudden play edge-rusher. He’s on record at mandatory minicamp saying he hasn’t worked with the edge group yet.”
However, just because Golday hasn’t worked off the edge yet doesn’t mean he definitely won’t at any point during training camp and/or the regular season.
Vikings Could Pursue Edge-Rusher in Free Agency, Keep Jake Golday at Inside Linebacker
GettyJake Golday of the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota begins training camp in earnest for the entire roster this week, and it should not be too long until the team’s specific plans for Adams and Golday become clear.
That said, Minnesota’s decision to add Adams provides Flores with a versatile pass-rusher who can also play off the football and work in pass coverage.
It may make more sense to keep Adams exclusively at the ILB spot rather than play him in the defensive backfield at all, which appears to raise the likelihood, at least on paper, the Golday might find himself lining up on the edge more frequently than previously thought.
But the Vikings could also be in the mix for a more traditional pass-rusher, such as Jadeveon Clowney, who the team could ink to a one-year contract in order to give the position group some more juice and experience behind Turner and Van Ginkel.
Vikings’ Jamal Adams Signing May Change Course of Top Rookie’s Career