The Vikings’ defense is doing plenty more than holding up its end of the bargain through the first month of the 2026 season. Brian Flores’ group has been one of the best units in the NFL, and it’s a major reason Minnesota is sitting at 4-0.
There are stars everywhere in this front seven, and a few names are already shaping the story of the season. Dallas Turner’s Year 3 jump is in full swing.
He’s second in the NFL with 5.5 sacks and has piled up 29 pressures in four games. Yes, 16 of those pressures came either unblocked or against a running back or tight end, but that doesn’t change the bigger picture: Turner is wrecking games off the edge.
With Flores designing favorable matchups, there’s no reason for him to apologize for the setup.
Andrew Van Ginkel keeps looking like one of the most underrated defenders in the league. He’s stacked up three sacks, three tackles for loss, an interception, and a forced fumble, a stat line that screams All-Pro impact. At 31 and in a contract year, he’s also a name to watch as next season approaches.
Jonathan Greenard is right there in the mix too, though his 2026 sack total hasn’t matched the noise of last year’s six-sack breakout. The production may not jump off the page, but the performance is still strong.
His 90.1 Pro Football Focus run grade leads all interior defensive linemen, and he’s added nine pressures. That makes him another player who’s going to be in line for a major payday in 2027.
Up front, there’s also a strong case that this is one of the league’s best value groups. Jalen Redmond’s sack numbers are down after last season, but the play hasn’t dropped off.
The former seventh-round pick is grading out as the top run defender among interior linemen, and he’s added nine pressures. The same goes for Levi Drake Rodriguez, who has carved out a starting role at nose and responded with six tackles and a sack.
The future there may belong to Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, but Rodriguez’s motor and edge are clearly still giving this defense something it values.
Another young piece, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, has been useful as well. He may not be the long-term answer as a starter, but he has given Minnesota some solid snaps, especially against the run, where he’s logged two stuffs. Coming back in Year 2 leaner and potentially meaner, he’s part of a defensive line that is both effective and inexpensive.
At linebacker, Blake Cashman keeps filling up the stat sheet. He has 15 straight games with at least seven tackles, the longest streak in franchise history, and he’s added 2.5 sacks this season. The only catch is availability: he’s missed at least three games in each of his Minnesota seasons, so staying on the field remains the obvious key.
Eric Wilson’s 2026 has been a mixed bag. He had one huge outing against Tampa Bay, finishing with 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks, but the other three games have been much quieter, with 14 tackles and no sacks. Even so, Flores clearly trusts him, and Wilson remains a useful piece as long as he avoids accidental contact with officials.
The secondary has had a tougher time keeping up. Byron Murphy Jr. has the interception against Chicago, but otherwise he’s allowed 15 catches and only two pass breakups. The pressure Flores sends helps cover for a lot, but Murphy still hasn’t played up to the level expected of his $54 million contract.
Isaiah Rodgers has been a different story. After a modest 2025 season outside of the wild Cincinnati game, he’s been excellent in 2026, allowing just 37% of passes thrown his way to be completed and posting a 36.1 quarterback rating when targeted. Along with James Pierre, he’s been one of the few bright spots in a secondary that has otherwise had problems.
Harrison Smith’s season has been the hardest one to watch. His return was a welcome one, but the on-field results have not matched the reputation.
He’s being beaten deep too often, and PFF has him graded as the third-worst safety in the NFL. Even so, his value still goes beyond the obvious, because at this point what he offers is as much about his mind as his physical game.
Then there’s Josh Metellus, who has been around the ball but not always in the right place. Opposing receivers have found room behind him more than once, and he’s allowing nearly 25 yards per reception when targeted. Some of that comes with the territory in Flores’ pressure-heavy scheme, but there’s no sugarcoating it: Metellus has been more of a liability than a plus so far.
Even with a few rough spots on the back end, the overall picture is clear. Flores has this defense humming, and the front is carrying a lot of the weight behind Minnesota’s perfect start.
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