Young Vikings D-Lineman Packed on Some Muscle Ahead of 2026
Last season, Vikings d-lineman Elijah Williams was a nice story. Hard not to be enthused about a player who goes from summer tryout to UDFA deal to making the 53-man roster. Sports fans love underdogs, meaning Williams earned praise.
Williams chatted briefly with Vikings Territory last week. The brief conversation allowed for covering a few different topics, including the lineman’s effort to come back bulkier to better allow for dancing with blockers in the upcoming season. He hopes that leads to an ongoing job on the roster before earning a larger workload during games.
Vikings D-Lineman Elijah Williams is Looking Larger
Best case for Mr. Williams appears to be a depth job in 2026. But, to be sure, he has proven to be capable of overcoming long odds, so maybe he continues defying the odds.
His issue is that Jalen Redmond has become an excellent player. Knocking Redmond out of that DT1 job appears supremely unlikely. Next up is a combination of talent consisting of Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, a pair of rookies who got added via a 1st and a 3rd in the most recent draft. Of the pair, Orange looks like the surer bet to start in Week 1 since he’s healthy, but Banks is an immense person with immense upside.
Likewise, Levi Drake Rodriguez is competing to earn a beefier workload. He offers an unusual degree of effort and violence with his movements, great attributes for any defensive lineman. Expect Rodriguez to play well in 2026.
There are then a cluster of players trying to become key parts of the rotation. Think Eric Johnson, Smith Vilbert, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Taki Taimani, and Jahvarie Ritzie. Elijah Williams finds himself among these players while looking to prove he doesn’t belong among these players. Put differently, Williams wants to show that he’s better than average, worth keeping in a way that’s different from the other large lads.
Williams explained that he’s sitting at 305: “I’m going to stay in that range, it feels better for taking on double teams.” Any lineman living on the inside needs to be able to soak up blocks, but generally it’s a 1T — shaded on the center — who clogs running lanes while demanding a pair of blockers. Williams foresees some of that regardless of being a touch closer to the end of the line. He told VT that he tends to be most comfortable as a 3T.
In 2025, Williams played in seven games, earning 9 tackles within his 42 snaps on defense and 29 snaps on special teams. He’ll be looking to increase his workload and his production.
Describing a willingness to play essentially “everywhere” given Brian Flores’ proclivity for shuffling players around, Williams said that he feels “less nervousness,” thereby allowing him to focus on improving his “technique.”
“I’m just trying to take it day by day. I just want to be better than I was last year. Make more of an impact on this team,” Williams said.
Recently, the Vikings worked through mandatory minicamp at TCO Performance Center. The players are now journeying through the quietest portion of the offseason. On August 1st, things will begin getting extra spicy since fans will be allowed to watch training camp practices. Williams will be looking to prove that his added size allows him to better stand up to and stand out among the competition.
Elijah Williams is 23.
