Kenny Dyson Jr. might not have been with the Vikings for a long time, but the edge rusher made a strong impression during his short stint in the Twin Cities. He flashed legit potential over the past two preseason games after the team picked up off the scrap heap on August 17.
Unfortunately, the former United Football League standout didn’t show enough to stick around. According to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, the Vikings agreed to an injury settlement with the second-year edge rusher today.
With Minnesota boasting a less-than-stellar group of edge rushers behind starters Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner, many expected them to keep him around. Tyler Forness of AtoZSports wrote on X that it looked like the Vikings might have found something special in the edge rusher before the news was announced this morning.
Kenny Dyson Jr. Exploded Onto The Scene For Minnesota This Preseason
Not much was expected from Dyson when the Vikings signed him to a deal two weeks ago. He was behind the 8-ball after missing all of OTAs and most of training camp. However, that didn’t prevent him from leading the Vikings with six pressures despite rushing the passer only 15 times this preseason.
He might’ve been going up against backups, but that doesn’t change the fact that he made them look like third- and fourth-stringers. He was a wrecking ball for the Vikings over the past two weeks.
It’s still unclear if Dyson got hurt (since they agreed to an injury settlement with him instead of outright releasing him) in the team’s preseason finale against the Broncos. However, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis said that he wasn’t aware whether Dyson suffered a known injury in the matchup.
Regardless of whether he got hurt or not, he is a safe bet to return to the practice squad (once healthy if he’s injured). With the limited tape he put out there this preseason, the former UFL standout is a safe bet to clear waivers.
Is Another Move Coming At Edge Rusher?
The question now becomes whether the Vikings are content with their current edge rusher depth. With Bo Richter, Tyler Batty, and Chaz Chambliss being the only three pure edge rushers behind Van Ginkel and Turner, their depth there appears paper-thin.
While they also appear set on deploying Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins in more of a hybrid DE/DT role this season, the 2025 fifth-round pick still has plenty of work to do to prove he belongs. Some have even projected him as a surprise cut candidate.
Whether it be a free agent they pick up off the streets (some believe Leonard Floyd and Kyle Van Noy make sense due to their history with Minnesota’s coaching staff) or a waiver wire pickup, many believe a change could be coming to their edge rusher room. A few of their depth players there should probably be sleeping with one eye open tonight. While they might land on the initial 53-man roster, that doesn’t mean that their roster status is cemented.
Minnesota Vikings Release Preseason Standout Pass-Rusher