With Jamal Adams suffering a serious injury, pundits expect the Minnesota Vikings to consider making an addition at safety. On Sunday, though, the Vikings expressed interest in defensive tackles and linebackers.
According to the NFL transaction wire, Minnesota hosted four defensive players for tryouts Sunday. One of those four players was current UFL and former Carolina Panthers linebacker Kenny Dyson.
As an undrafted free agent in 2024, Dyson appeared in two games for the Panthers. He posted two combined tackles and one quarterback hit while playing 10 defensive snaps. Dyson also lined up for 21 snaps on special teams.
During the 2026 season, the linebacker played for the Houston Gamblers of the UFL.
Vikings Host LB Kenny Dyson for Tryout
GettyAccording to the NFL transaction wire, the Minnesota Vikings tried out linebacker Kenny Dyson on Sunday.
Standing at 6-foot-3, 244 pounds, Dyson took an unusual path to the NFL. He played college football at Bryant, which is an FCS program in Rhode Island.
At his Pro Day in 2024, Dyson ran the 40-yard dash in five seconds. He also had a 4.68-second 3-cone drill, 30.5-inch vertical jump and 23 repetitions on the bench press.
After those subpar testing numbers, Dyson went undrafted but signed with the Panthers immediately after the draft.
The linebacker remained with Carolina until the final roster cuts after the preseason. But he returned on the team’s first practice squad. Dyson made his NFL debut in late November as a practice squad elevation.
Dyson signed a reserve/future contract with the Panthers in January 2025. Carolina, though, waived him in May following the 2025 draft.
Although Dyson doesn’t have the size or speed players typically need in the NFL, he’s probably the most likely to join the Vikings of the players who tried out for the team Sunday. The other three don’t have any NFL regular season experience.
Minnesota Also Held Tryouts for 3 Other Players Sunday
GettyKevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings had four players try out for a roster spot Sunday.
The other three players at Vikings tryouts Sunday were linebacker Tony Anyanwu, along with defensive tackles Jared Dawson and Kody Huisman.
All three were undrafted free agents this offseason.
Anyanwu played at Baylor and Rice from 2020-25. Last season with Rice, he registered eight tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
Dawson also had a long college career. He played at Louisville from 2020-24 and then finished his collegiate tenure with Notre Dame in 2025.
Last season for the Fighting Irish, Dawson posted 3.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. He had 17 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, two pass defenses and two forced fumbles in 48 games over his entire career.
Huisman was at North Dakota State to begin his college career. For his final season, he transferred to Virginia Tech, where he had 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass defense in 12 games.
The ex-Hokies defensive tackle was with the Buffalo Bills until Wednesday.
The Vikings will play their next preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. They will host the Ravens on Saturday, August 22 at 12 pm CT.
In Week 1 of the preseason, the Vikings defeated the New York Giants 13-10.
Vikings Show Interest in 6-Foot-3 UFL Linebacker