The Vikings’ edge rush has come out roaring, but the workload is already the part worth watching.
Through two games, Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel have combined for 5.5 sacks, and Minnesota’s pass rush has looked the part with a 70.4 grade from Pro Football Focus, good for ninth. That kind of production is exactly what the Vikings wanted from the outside linebacker spot. The question now is how long they can keep leaning on those two at this pace.
Turner is in his first season as a starter and has already logged 115 defensive snaps. Van Ginkel is right there with him at 119. That’s a heavy early-season load, and it points to the obvious need for a veteran who can absorb some of those snaps before the wear and tear starts to show.
That’s where Kyle Van Noy fits.
Minnesota has already elevated the two-time Super Bowl champion to the 53-man roster in each of the first two weeks, and he has played 43 defensive snaps so far. The numbers don’t jump off the page the way Turner’s and Van Ginkel’s do, but Van Noy has still chipped in two tackles, including one for a loss, and he carries a 60.1 pass-rush grade after recording two pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
The bigger issue for Minnesota is what sits behind the starters. Chaz Chambliss and Bo Richter are the other backup edge rushers on the roster, and neither has played a defensive snap this season. That doesn’t exactly scream confidence from the coaching staff.
Making Van Noy part of the 53-man roster full-time would give the Vikings a steadier option without the weekly shuffle of elevations from the practice squad. It would also reduce the risk of another team signing him away from that practice squad.
It’s a clean solution for both sides. Minnesota gets a dependable rotational rusher without having to keep calling him up, and Van Noy gets the security of being on the active roster instead of bouncing back and forth.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell was clearly energized by having the veteran around, according to Sean Borman.
The bottom line is simple: Turner and Van Ginkel should not be asked to live near 60 defensive snaps a game all season. That kind of burden catches up with players. If the Vikings want to keep their pass rush dangerous, putting Van Noy on the 53-man roster now makes a lot of sense.
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