Vikings Sign a Young Linebacker
Slowly but surely, the Vikings signings are taking place. A recent update involved yet another talent coming from the CFL.
After the news emerged of picking up defensive tackle Jaylon Hutchings, so did the update about linebacker Jacob Roberts. The word arrives courtesy of 3DownNation, a website that covers CFL football. The recent add will get a shot to shore up a shaky position for Minnesota’s defense.
Vikings Sign Young Linebacker Jacob Roberts
Pretty quietly, the linebacker spot is in rough shape.
LB1 Blake Cashman is still in town. He has been a success after getting signed during free agency back in 2024. The concern comes from the reality of him being a touch older, having worked through some injury, and moving into the final year of his contract. An extension makes a lot of sense, but that’s a reality that has yet to arrive.
Otherwise, the Vikings are working through some dicey depth.
Veteran LB2 Eric Wilson was very good but is moving toward a hearty payday. Does it make sense for Minnesota’s snug budget to find room for someone who appears set to ask for a large raise? Wilson has earned more money and isn’t likely to get another shot as good as the one he’s staring down.
The next name to know is LB3 Ivan Pace Jr., the UDFA add who appears likely to be a trade candidate. Again, paying him his well-deserved raise looks to be difficult as of January of 2026.
The youthful depth — most notably, draftee Kobe King alongside UDFA add Austin Keys — both got axed during the season after making the 53-man roster.
Standing back to assess the situation helps to clarify why an early move was made to reinforce the linebacker position. Any chance Mr. Roberts has a shot to stick around beyond the offseason competition?
Courtesy of the 3DownNation piece, some background on what he accomplished last season: “The Charlotte, N.C. native led the team with 93 defensive tackles in 2025, while adding nine special teams tackles, four sacks, and one forced fumble in his first year as a CFL starter. He joined the Stamps partway through the 2024 season and dressed for six games, recording four defensive tackles and 10 special teams tackles.”
And some info on what Jacob Roberts did in college: “The 24-year-old defender has no previous NFL experience after going undrafted in 2024 and signing directly with Calgary. He concluded his NCAA career at Wake Forest University, collecting 83 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six sacks, and two forced fumbles in 12 games.”
The Vikings are sorting through a pile of uncertainty at present. Most notably, there’s the ongoing concern surrounding the future of DC Brian Flores and QB J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings signing Jacob Roberts doesn’t nullify those conundrums, but it does begin addressing a weak spot on the defense.
Soon enough, the deals (and rumors of deals) are going to start picking up.
