The Minnesota Vikings carried just four pass-rushers onto the initial 53-man roster and are among the NFL teams most in need of adding another edge defender ahead of the season opener, which is now less than two weeks away.
Before the team announced that starters Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel will slot in ahead of undrafted free agents Bo Richter (2024) and Chazz Chambliss (2025) at the outside linebacker positions, the Vikings got news that 2025 undrafted rookie Tyler Batty suffered a campaign-crushing injury.
“Indeed, Vikings edge rusher Tyler Batty tore his ACL and is headed to season-ending IR,” Alec Lewis of The Athletic reported via X on Sunday, August 30. “A brutal one for a dude who had a really good camp. Adds more attention to edge rusher depth situation.”
Minnesota added outside linebacker Cam’Ron Stewart to the practice squad on Monday, but the positional depth top to bottom remains among the Vikings’ most serious defensive concerns heading into the year.
Perhaps the best option available in free agency is Leonard Floyd, a former first-round pick of the Chicago Bears and a Super Bowl champion with the Los Angeles Rams who played last season with the Atlanta Falcons on a $10 million contract.
Leonard Floyd Can Offer Vikings Upside on Reasonable Contract
Floyd has appeared in 153 games during his 10-year professional career, starting all but one of them.
Over that span, Floyd has amassed 149 quarterback hits, 76 tackles for loss, 70 sacks, 16 pass breakups, five forced fumbles, two interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.
Floyd offers reasonably strong upside and has been a name circulating among Vikings analysts as a possibility for Minnesota for the last several days.
“For the love of everything holy Minnesota Vikings, get off your hands and sign an edge three today,” Thor Nystrom of SKOR North said on August 25. “[Leonard Floyd is] a great edge-rusher in a 3-4 system coming off the edge. Leonard Floyd is 34 years old with an $8.9 million AAV estimate on him.”
Vikings Will Rely Heavily on Outside Linebacker Dallas Turner to Make Leap in Year 3
Minnesota is in need of more talent and depth off the edge after trading pass-rusher Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles during this year’s NFL draft in exchange for two third-round picks.
Turner, a first-round selection of the Vikings in 2024, is taking over a full-time starting role for the first time in his career and will be a crucial cog in coordinator Brian Flores’ defense this season.
Turner led the team with eight sacks last season in 17 appearances, which included 10 starts. He added 15 QB hits, 11 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and three pass deflections. Turner will play the upcoming campaign at 23 years old.
Vikings Prime Suitors for Ex-Bears OLB, $10 Million Pass-Rusher After Latest Injury