Vikings Sign New Defender from Broncos
On Monday, the Minnesota Vikings watched their former rookie kicker Gabe Brkic walk to the Green Bay Packers, ex-EDGE rusher Ifeadi Odenigbo signed with the Indianapolis Colts, and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah welcomed a new defender from the Denver Broncos.
He’s Andre Mintze, an outside linebacker with ties to Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell.
The Vikings formally announced the deal on Monday afternoon.
Mintze is 23 years old and has only been in the NFL for a year. He was an undrafted free agent from Vanderbilt, working his way up the Broncos roster in 2021. All told, Mintze played 64 defensive snaps for the 2021 Broncos. He tallied four tackles — and that’s about it. Mintze also notched a 55.6 grade from Pro Football Focus. Mintze also plays special teams.
The aforementioned Donatell was the Broncos defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021, so he’s likely the driving force behind the Mintze addition.
It is unclear if Mintze will actually threaten to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. He’s a true-blue pass rusher, and Minnesota has those positions locked down with Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. Behind those men, though, the water is murkier.
These are the men Mintze must battle to earn a spot on the Vikings September roster:
- Patrick Jones II
- Zach McCloud
- Janarius Robinson
- Luiji Vilain
- D.J. Wonnum
And those players are just on the [reservist] edges of the defensive line. Men like Jaylen Twyman and Esezi Otomewo rushing the passer on the inside of the line seek to make the team, too.
But Mintze unexpectedly climbed an Ed Donatell roster last year, so his candidacy now with Donatell in Minnesota cannot be ignored.
The last NFL player drafted from Vanderbilt to reach a Pro Bowl was Casey Hayward of the Atlanta Falcons.
The Vikings and Broncos play in a preseason game on August 27th.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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