The Vikings have reached the point where Kyle Van Noy’s contract can’t stay in limbo much longer.
Because NFL rules allow a player to be elevated from the practice squad to the active roster only three times in a season, Van Noy has already hit that limit after being called up for Minnesota’s first three games. That means the Vikings now have to choose: keep him on the practice squad or move him onto the 53-man roster.
Van Noy has done enough to make the choice feel urgent. The former Super Bowl champion has outperformed expectations, piling up four tackles and as many pressures, including 1.5 sacks in Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers. His Pro Football Focus grades sit at 87.4 overall and 90.4 against the run, and he has improved in each game.
If the Vikings want him available in Week 4 against the Dolphins, general manager Nolan Teasley would need to sign him to the active roster. The catch is simple: somebody currently on the 53-man roster would have to go.
There are a few names Minnesota could consider, but one of the cleaner options is Zemaiah Vaughn. He’s on the roster, but he hasn’t been active for any of the first three games. Cutting him and moving him back to the practice squad would not appear to change much.
The concern with Vaughn is depth. Minnesota has only five cornerbacks on the chart, so letting him go would leave the Vikings with less margin for error if someone ahead of him gets hurt or can’t play. If he lands on the practice squad, the Vikings could still elevate him three times before needing to sign him again, but that doesn’t erase the risk.
Elijah Williams is in a similar spot. He has also been inactive all season, and there are several players ahead of him on the depth chart, including rookies who still need time before handling bigger roles. That makes it difficult to find snaps for him on defense.
Still, Williams was part of Minnesota’s rotation last season, appearing on 71 total snaps in 2025, with 42 coming on defense. If the Vikings let him go, there’s at least a chance another team would be interested in a six-foot-three, 298-pound body built to clog things up inside.
If Minnesota wants to make the cleanest positional swap for Van Noy, Chaz Chambliss is the most obvious edge-rusher candidate. He sits at the bottom of the EDGE group and hasn’t played a defensive snap this season.
But Chambliss brings special teams value that Van Noy doesn’t. He’s a regular there, logging about 67% of those snaps, while Van Noy has played only two special teams snaps. That makes Chambliss harder to replace than his defensive role alone would suggest.
That’s why Williams may be the most practical answer. He plays a crowded position, has been inactive, and can likely be returned to the practice squad without creating a hole on defense or special teams. In a situation like this, the Vikings’ priority is clear: make room for Van Noy and worry about the rest later.
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