Vikings Start Tuesday With a Bang
The Minnesota Vikings took some time on Monday but ultimately signed three players who will play a big role for them. The most expensive one is an in-house guy, as cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. will return in his CB1 spot. Next to him could play Super Bowl champion Isaiah Rodgers, who has shown promise throughout his career but has never played in a full-time starting role.
Vikings Start Tuesday With a Bang
But GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah also addressed the trenches, agreeing to terms with four-time Pro Bowler, veteran center Ryan Kelly. The upgrade in pass protection was much needed.
In training camp, Kelly will compete against the defensive line. That’s another position that needed some more oomph. On Tuesday morning, as one of the first moves of the day, the Vikings reportedly struck a deal with former Commanders defensive lineman Jonathan Allen.
Adam Schefter reported, “Two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen has reached an agreement with the Vikings on a three-year, $60 million contract. The deal was negotiated by Blake Baratz of @TeamIFA.”
Agent Blake Baratz is Minneapolis-based, which might have helped with the deal. On Monday, it was reported that Allen would visit the Vikings.
It’s quite a pricey move, but the franchise wanted to strengthen both offensive and defensive lines, and Allen secured that. Regardless, he was released last week after spending his entire career with the Washington franchise and their various names. He was a 2017 first-round pick out of Alabama.
In 109 games (108 starts), Allen has tabulated 42 sacks, 401 tackles, and 60 tackles for loss. He went to a pair of Pro Bowls in 2021 and 2022.
The defender missed about half of the 2024 campaign due to a partially torn pectoral muscle. He later returned for the playoff run.
It took some time, as the Vikings had looked to acquire a defensive lineman with the ability to disrupt plays (especially passing plays) for quite some time, but he is finally here.
Andrew Krammer from the Star Tribune noted, “From what I just filed on the Vikings signing Jonathan Allen: Between 2018 and 2023, Allen averaged 46 quarterback pressures annually, according to Pro Football Focus. The Vikings haven’t had an interior defender with at least 40 pressures in a single season since Sheldon Richardson’s 2018 season.”
The purple team now has six defensive linemen under contract for the 2025 campaign:
- Jonathan Allen
- Harrison Phillips
- Jalen Redmond
- Taki Taimani
- Levi Drake Rodriguez
- Jonathan Harris
Allen and Phillips are undoubtedly the two top players in the room, while the others will compete for rotational roles. Of course, more depth could arrive in the next two months via free agency and the draft.
Redmond and Taimani showed some flashes in their 2024 season, and Levi Drake Rodriguez might play a bigger role in his sophomore season.
Another sweet aspect is that Allen doesn’t count towards the compensatory pick formula because he was released and isn’t a free agent whose contract had expired. That can help recoup some of the draft capital.
Allen is a massive get for the Vikings as they look to take another step in the third season under Brian Flores. A defensive front of Andrew Van Ginkel, Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Allen, and Jonathan Greenard is quite fun to imagine.
The defender just turned 30. If he doesn’t completely fall off a cliff or injuries pile up, there’s a good chance that he can give the defensive unit a big boost.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt