Jul 14, 2022; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Oklahoma Sooners helmet logo during the Big 12 Media Day at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings have plenty of contenders for the defensive tackle spot next to Harrison Phillips on the 2024 defensive line, but in a surprise move, the franchise became even deeper on Monday.
Former University of Oklahoma standout Jalen Redmond, who recently dazzled in the UFL, signed on Minnesota’s dotted line and will hope to make the club’s 53-man roster at the end of the summer.
Pro Football Newsroom‘s James Larsen tweeted Monday, “Breaking: The Minnesota Vikings are signing Arlington Renegades’ DT Jalen Redmond, per MLFootball. Redmond was one of the top defenders in the UFL when healthy. In just 4 games he posted 18 tackles, 5 TFL’s, and 4.5 sacks. Spring football works, folks.”
Redmond played 4 games in 2024 as a Renegade, tabulating 4.5 sacks, 5 tackles for loss and 18 total tackles. That statline was evidently enough to turn heads in the Vikings’ front office, and Redmond will get a summer look from the purple team.
After the Redmond addition, these are Minnesota’s defensive tackles as of June 18th:
Heading into 2023, Minnesota kept five DTs to start the season, so this list may dwindle by five names at the end of August. Stay tuned.
Redmond joined the Carolina Panthers’ roster as an undrafted free agent 14 months ago — right around the time Ivan Pace Jr. signed with the Vikings — where he stayed for four months. Carolina said goodbye in August 2023, and Redmond eventually tried the UFL on for size. The experiment worked, parlaying the performance into a deal with Minnesota.
Pro Football Network‘s Tony Pauline scouted Redmond during the lead-up to the 2023 NFL Draft: “Athletic defensive tackle who goes very hard. Explosive, fires off the snap with a terrific first step, and possesses a closing burst of speed. Attracts a lot of attention in the middle of the line, effectively bends his knees, and works his hands throughout the action. Keeps his feet moving, holds his ground against double-team blocks, and plays through the whistle. Strong for his size.”
Weaknesses? Redmond has been hampered by injuries over the last several years and was not considered an elite pass rusher departing Oklahoma for the pros last year, though his 4.5 UFL sacks were noteworthy.
Redmond turned 25 in March and should be considered a longshot to make the Vikings’ active roster in 2024. He tallied 14 sacks in 36 games in college.
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 Sal Spice. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.