With Jonathan Greenard gone to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Vikings’ edge-rusher room suddenly looks a lot lighter than it should. Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner are still there, but Minnesota could clearly use another experienced body behind them, and that kind of addition feels like a matter of when, not if. If the training camp competition doesn’t produce a real answer, the Vikings may have no choice but to act.
That’s why veteran pass-rush options are going to keep coming up, and why Brian Flores will matter so much in the process. The defensive coordinator’s system is a selling point for outside additions, but he’ll also have a major voice in deciding who fits and who doesn’t.
One name floated as a possible fit is Joey Bosa, though the match doesn’t exactly jump off the page. Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay recently listed Minnesota as one of the more intriguing landing spots for the veteran edge rusher, writing:
"Joey Bosa hasn't been able to consistently get back to the elite level he displayed during the early stages of his career, but two consecutive productive seasons with two different franchises make the edge rusher an alluring pickup at this stage of the offseason.
Many clubs would prefer to add a veteran presence to their pass-rush rotation to be better prepared for the long season ahead, but the Minnesota Vikings are one of the league's most intriguing fits for Bosa."
Bosa did make himself useful in Buffalo last season, settling into a role that fit where he is in his career. In 15 games, he posted five sacks, 47 quarterback pressures and a league-leading five forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus also graded him as a top-10 pass rusher among qualified edge defenders.
Still, the biggest issue may not be production. It may be whether Bosa actually wants to play. He is entering what would be his 11th NFL season, and his brother, 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, offered a pretty revealing comment in late May to Vic Tafur of The Athletic:
"He is working on his golf game. I don’t think he’s too concerned with football right now.”
That doesn’t necessarily rule out a late signing. A veteran in Bosa’s spot might not be eager for voluntary workouts, minicamp or even an early training-camp arrival. He could still be the kind of situational pass rusher who plugs in without needing to master every wrinkle of Flores’ defense right away.
But Minnesota is already waiting on one veteran decision, and it has enough uncertainty around Harrison Smith’s plans too. Bosa would add another layer of guesswork the Vikings may not need. Unless they’ve already checked in and know exactly where he stands, there’s little reason to sit around and hope.
If Bosa is truly weighing whether he wants to keep playing, he figures to be selective about where he lands. The Vikings might be on the list, but they have other ways to address the position. For a team that needs clarity, Bosa looks more like a wait-and-see name than the obvious answer.
In Other News...
Former Vikings Pass Rusher Is Raising Health Concerns Again
Jonathan Greenards move out of Minnesota was supposed to be a clean fresh start after the Vikings sent him to Philadelphia and the Eagles locked him into a four-year extension. Instead, the former Vikings pass rusher is already dealing with another health issue, landing on the Eagles Physically Unable to Perform list as training camp gets underway. For a player brought in to help anchor the edge, it is an early setback that immediately puts his availability in the spotlight.
The concern is not just the designation itself, but the uncertainty around what comes next. Greenard is dealing with a pectoral injury suffered in camp, and the timing of it has not been made clear, while Philadelphia has not said whether it will cost him regular-season games. After a winter that already included shoulder surgery, this is the kind of update the Eagles were hoping to avoid, and it leaves one of their biggest offseason additions in a waiting game. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin O'Connell Just Delivered The Christian Darrisaw Update Vikings Needed
Christian Darrisaws offseason has put the Vikings in a far better place than they were a year ago, when the left tackle was working his way back from a serious knee injury. Head coach Kevin OConnell said Darrisaw is headed into training camp ready to go, a welcome development for a team that has spent plenty of time trying to stabilize the edge of its offensive line and give its offense a cleaner runway.
The next checkpoint comes when camp opens to fans on August 1, when Darrisaw is expected to be out there fully in practice. For Minnesota, the encouraging part is not just that he is back on the field, but that his presence should help settle protection plans and raise the ceiling for the offense as a whole, even if the bigger question now is how quickly that comfort translates once the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Suddenly Have A Real Jalen Redmond Contract Decision
Jalen Carters new deal in Philadelphia only sharpened the conversation around defensive tackle money, and it puts a spotlight on where the Vikings stand with Jalen Redmond. Minnesota has already seen Redmond turn a low-cost role into something much more meaningful, with a 2025 season that gave the front office real evidence he can be more than a depth piece.
Redmond is still on a team-friendly path for now, but the Vikings are approaching the kind of decision that comes when a player outperforms his contract and the market keeps climbing around him. If they believe his breakout was the start of something bigger, this is the window to act before his price tag starts looking a lot less manageable. [Read more 🡒]