While the Vikings’ quarterback situation has grabbed most of the attention, the quieter makeover is happening on defense. Minnesota’s once-veteran-heavy unit has turned young in a hurry, and the change is hard to miss.
Last season, the Vikings were leaning on an aging group. They had two defensive tackles over 30, a top pass rusher nearing 30 and a strong safety the same age as Homer Simpson. Now those spots are being filled by four defensive tackles with two years or less of experience, a third-year pass rusher who won’t turn 24 until just before the Super Bowl and three safeties beyond Josh Metellus who have only a shade over 1,000 snaps combined.
That sounds like a recipe for uncertainty. Instead, it has started to look like a real opportunity.
Brian Flores’ history of building strong defenses matters here, and so does what the Vikings have seen from this group in training camp. The team still has plenty to sort out, but the early signs suggest the defense can hold a similar level to what it showed in 2024 and 2025.
A big part of that is depth - something this defense has lacked in recent years.
Up front, 2024 seventh-round pick Levi Drake Rodriguez has taken over at nose tackle and looked comfortable using his power to shut down blocks. A developmental prospect out of Texas A&M-Commerce, he carved out a role last season and logged 461 snaps, with most of that work coming against the run.
Ty Ingram-Dawkins, last year’s fifth-round pick, has been one of camp’s strongest development stories. After barely being used in 2025, he’s now handling first-team reps as a 3-4 defensive end and a rotational outside linebacker.
That rise has pushed two of the Vikings’ top picks into depth roles. Caleb Banks had a rough first preseason outing, but he is working back from the foot injury he suffered at the NFL Combine and looks set to be a situational option behind Ingram-Dawkins.
His size and power jump off the field, though he still needs polish after missing much of 2025 at Florida. For Flores, keeping that kind of raw talent from being rushed is a plus.
The same idea applies to nose tackle Domonique Orange. He brings serious power and surprising quickness for his size, but the position is a difficult one for a young player.
The NFL moves fast, and being able to ease Orange in behind Rodriguez is a benefit. Having four defensive tackles outside of Jalen Redmond also helps Flores keep the group fresh, something that has been a problem in recent seasons.
There’s youth showing up at linebacker and corner too. Behind veterans Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson, second-round pick Jake Golday has earned praise for his mental processing, and his combine numbers stood out too: a 39-inch vertical, a 4.62 40-yard dash and a 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame.
At corner, Charles Demmings is already turning heads. The fifth-round pick from Stephen F.
Austin may have some skeptics, but he has broken up more passes than any other Vikings corner this summer. His athletic profile showed up at the combine - a 4.41 40-yard dash and a 42-inch vertical - and so has his physical, aggressive style in practice.
He’s still likely behind Isaiah Rodgers, Byron Murphy Jr. and James Pierre on the depth chart, but Minnesota having a young corner with real momentum is something it hasn’t had in a long time.
Safety is the least settled spot of the bunch. Third-rounder Jakobe Thomas has been limited by a back injury, so there hasn’t been much of a look at him yet.
Jay Ward, though, has made a strong impression. He sacked Jaxson Dart and sent him to the medical tent on Saturday, and Flores has spoken highly of him.
Ward’s physicality and versatility showed up in a small sample last year, enough to make him a meaningful part of the plan this season.
Even UDFA Jacob Thomas has gotten into the mix at safety. He picked off a pass against the Giants and has seen plenty of work with the second unit in practice.
And then there’s Dallas Turner, who is only 23 and already looks ready for a bigger stage. He had a sack against the Giants and has put together an excellent camp as he prepares to step into Jonathan Greenard’s role as the team’s lead pass rusher.
Now it’s Flores’ job to sort through all of it. He has a history of making aggressive defenses work even when the talent isn’t ideal across the board, but this version brings a different challenge: blending a lot of inexperienced players into something cohesive on the fly.
The upside is obvious. So is the uncertainty.
For a defense that hasn’t had this much youth in a while, that’s the point. The Vikings’ drafting struggles from the Rick Spielman era left this side of the ball thin for too long. If this group comes together, it could become the foundation for what comes next.
In Other News...
Vikings Roster Battle Suddenly Centers On Two Crucial Defensive Spots
With the first preseason game in the books and final cutdown day drawing close, the Vikings are moving into the part of camp where the margins get thin and every projection starts to feel more fragile. An AI-generated 53-man roster aligned reasonably well with the offensive side of the picture, but it was on defense where the matchups and depth chart guesses began to drift from what has actually been unfolding in training camp.
Two areas stand out most as the roster picture comes into focus: rookie defensive tackle Caleb Banks and the collection of outside linebackers trying to earn their place. Nothing is official yet, and every version of the roster still carries a speculative edge, but the defense appears to be where the Vikings have the most to sort through before the final decisions are made. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Suddenly Need A Veteran Safety Before Week 1
Jamal Adams season-ending quadriceps tendon injury in the preseason left Minnesota searching for a veteran answer at safety with Week 1 closing in. The loss changes the look of the back end in a hurry, and it puts the front office in position to weigh both immediate depth and how much it wants to spend to stabilize a spot that was suddenly shaken up.
One speculative idea making the rounds would send the Vikings after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin, with the move built around a late draft pick in 2027. It is only a proposal for now, not something confirmed by either team, but it reflects the reality Minnesota is facing: the need is real, the timing is urgent, and the options may not be as plentiful as they were just a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings May Already Have Their Answer To The Jonathan Greenard Risk
The Vikings knew they were making a longer view move when they sent Jonathan Greenard to Philadelphia during the draft and brought back two third-round picks, a deal that was always about more than the immediate depth chart. Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski made clear the trade was tied to economic and organizational considerations, even if it did not figure to make Minnesota better right away.
What has given the Vikings some early comfort is the way Dallas Turner has looked in training camp and the preseason, giving them a young edge presence who could help soften the loss of Greenard. The idea was always to absorb some short-term risk for a broader payoff, and Turners development is already making that bet look a little less daunting. [Read more 🡒]