The Minnesota Vikings took care of several of their needs this offseason, but one that still remains is at edge rusher.

The Vikings are set in the starting lineup with Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner projected to be in starting roles, but the team’s depth was compromised when they traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles during April’s draft.

With the team’s minicamp in the books, it’s still clear the Vikings need an edge rusher, and ESPN’s Kevin Seifert went as far as to say “It’s a certainty” that Minnesota will add one in the coming weeks.

While there are splashy names available, the Vikings may choose someone they already know, and that could lead to defensive coordinator Brian Flores reuniting with Kyle Van Noy.

Minnesota Vikings could benefit greatly by adding Kyle Van Noy ahead of training camp

Flores and Van Noy have an interesting history that could be revisited in Minnesota. A second-round pick in the 2014 draft, Van Noy’s career was going nowhere with one sack in his first 2.5 seasons with the Detroit Lions.

The Lions threw in the towel by trading Van Noy to the New England Patriots, but he quickly revived his career working with Flores, who served as Bill Belichick’s linebackers coach.

Van Noy became a starter for the Patriots beginning in the 2017 season and found his stride as an edge rusher with 15.5 sacks over the next three seasons.

Van Noy followed Flores when he was hired as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2020 and logged six sacks in his first season in Miami. But things got tense when the Dolphins released Van Noy one year into a four-year, $51 million contract.

After returning to New England for a season in 2021 and a one-year stint with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022, Van Noy found an extra gear with the Baltimore Ravens, logging 9.5 sacks in a reserve role in 2023 and making his lone Pro Bowl appearance in 2024 with 12.5 sacks.

Van Noy’s performance fell off a cliff for the Ravens last year, with just 2.5 sacks in 15 games, and he is still a free agent with training camp approaching.

Although a return to Baltimore is in the cards, his track record is something the Vikings should be interested in and could provide veteran depth as they head into next year.

Van Ginkel and Turner should be able to handle their starting jobs, and the addition of Jake Golday could give the Vikings a sneaky depth option at edge rusher as a jack of all trades. But the biggest thing that Van Noy can provide is insurance.

The Vikings are trying Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins at edge rusher after using him as an interior defender in his rookie season, but there’s no guarantee that will work out.

Bo Richter is also on the roster, but he’s been more of a special teams player since arriving in Minnesota ahead of the 2024 season. Tyler Batty is also on the roster, but adding a proven veteran like Van Noy would provide plenty of value.

There are some obstacles to overcome, including Van Noy’s surprise over being released after one season in Miami. But the Vikings could give Van Noy the best chance to see if there’s any gas left in the tank, even if it’s just a reserve role.

If he produces, he’d be a solid addition to the Vikings and fill one of their biggest needs ahead of the 2026 season.

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