Kyle Van Noy is set to make his Vikings debut Sunday, but the first look at him in purple should come with some measured expectations.
Minnesota signed the 12-year veteran to the practice squad last week to deepen its pass rush, and the idea is straightforward: when edge rushers Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel need a breather, Van Noy can step in and give defensive coordinator Brian Flores another trusted piece to work with. Flores already knows him well from their time together in Miami and New England, and Flores’ reputation for manufacturing pressure should help put Van Noy in spots where he can contribute right away.
The opener also happens to be a familiar one. The Vikings host the Packers in a late-afternoon matchup that doubles as the first divisional game of the 2026 season, and Van Noy’s workload figures to be more about steady rotation than a heavy snap count.
A useful comparison is Turner’s role last year. In his backup and rotational work with Minnesota, Turner logged anywhere from 14 to 54 defensive snaps per game.
In the seven games he did not start in 2026, he averaged 35 snaps. Van Noy should be below that number if Turner and Van Ginkel are both healthy and available, with 25 to 30 snaps a reasonable range.
From there, the stat line gets tricky to project, but the recent numbers offer a guide. Over the last three seasons in Baltimore, Van Noy averaged one sack every 68.8 defensive snaps and one tackle every 17.7 snaps. If he lands around 30 snaps against Green Bay, that points to roughly two tackles and half a sack, assuming his level of play holds.
There is one caution flag in the numbers, though: Van Noy posted a 51.8 pass rush grade on Pro Football Focus last year, the second-worst mark of his career.
Still, the Vikings do not need him to light up the box score. If he brings pressure and tackles cleanly, that would be enough to make him a useful addition in Week 1. A big sack total would be nice, but that is not the role Minnesota is asking him to fill behind Turner and Van Ginkel.
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The move adds another layer to an offseason that has already brought questions around McCarthys ankle injury and the chatter about his future in Minnesota. Even with the opener still ahead, the Vikings have made it clear their depth chart is not set in the way many expected, and McCarthy now has more to prove before he can climb back into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]