Unless There’s a Fix, The Vikings Have a Prime Holdout Candidate
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah isn’t completely unfamiliar with the issues posed by a player holding out since becoming the GM of the Vikings.
Danielle Hunter comes to mind, a sensational edge rusher who was at training camp but who didn’t participate (it was referred to as a “hold-in”). One then thinks of the mysterious T.J. Hockenson ear injury that kept him out of practices alongside Justin Jefferson missing some voluntary work before his major extension got sorted out. Will star edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel withhold his work in search of a larger deal?
The Vikings and The Possibility of a Holdout
Recently, the issue — the glaring problem that is his contract — was addressed on PurplePTSD.
Janik Eckardt responds to a piece from Bleacher Report that includes Mr. Van Ginkel as being among the most underpaid players in the NFL. Consider the assessment from BR: “A rare veteran with a $10-million-a-year contract on this list, Van Ginkel outperformed his free-agent deal by a massive margin in a second-team All-Pro 2024 campaign. He would have landed a much bigger contract than $20 million over two years had he done that one season earlier in Miami. If he proves it wasn’t a fluke in ‘25, he could double that AAV as a free agent again.”
The analysis correctly identifies Van Ginkel as being wildly underpaid, but it does so while assuming that he’ll continue operating on his current contract. Any chance the defender looks to snag a huge bag of cash coming off the best season of his career?
Consider some of Eckardt’s commentary: “Luckily for the Vikings, the Dolphins allowed him to test the market, and he has been an enormous win on Adofo-Mensah’s resume. Van Ginkel produced 11.5 sacks and 79 tackles. Of course, he also scored two INT return touchdowns. Those two plays put him on the map. The defender possesses versatility. He can drop into coverage, stop the run, and rush the passer. His motor never stops, and he is a smart player.”
Eckardt does a nice job of summarizing a lot of what makes Van Ginkel such a fantastic fit for Brian Flores. The two work together perfectly, a player who is tailor-made for the coach.
Consider some of how he lined up last season. Van Ginkel was mostly an edge rusher, picking up 789 snaps in that spot on the field. So, too, was he tasked with being an off-ball linebacker, putting in 89 snaps in the box. And then there were even reps as a slot corner — he can drop in coverage, as Eckardt describes — something he did for 42 snaps.
The complete group of statistics are impressive. He finished the 2024 season with 79 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 19 QB hits, 18 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions (both brought back for scores), 6 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble. He was named to the Pro Bowl and finished as a second-team All Pro. He finished 7th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Truth be told, Andrew Van Ginkel couldn’t really be blamed if he ends up looking for a hearty raise. His entire career has involved making a touch under $17 million so far. The top edge rushers in the NFL make more than twice that amount in a single season. At 30 in July, Van Ginkel may not have too many more chances at landing a huge contract.
Jonathan Greenard is coming in at $19 million per season — also a bargain — so one wonders if the solution will be to bring those two players closer in compensation. Bumping up Van Ginkel into the high teens is the right call, a forward-thinking move that would undercut a problem before it becomes one.
Andrew Van Ginkel stands at 6’4″ and weighs 242 pounds. He was drafted at No. 151 back in the 2019 NFL Draft, a draft slot he has smashed. Minnesota’s best move would be to attach another year or two to his deal while committing more robust payment.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.