The Vikings Have Surprising Backups Stealing the Show
For years, Minnesota Vikings fans called for the team to invest in the defensive tackle position, and they finally listened in 2025. Now, the depth is “too good,” and the unsung players are stealing the show.
Somehow or another, the players nobody expected to take center stage at defensive tackle have done precisely that for the Vikings through five games.
There’s still time for the former Pro Bowlers — Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen — to assert themselves, but through five weeks, Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins have done the damage.
Lesser-Known DTs Carry the Torch for Vikings
It’s an unexpected development, and no one is too upset about it.
Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, & Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins as the Showstoppers at DT
Somehow — some way — the under-the-radar defensive tackles have stolen the show in Minnesota.
Redmond, Rodriguez, and Ingram-Dawkins have taken turns putting highlights on tape, outshowing the men at the top of the ticket, Hargrave and Allen.
Vikings.com‘s Lindsey Young wrote this week, “The Vikings signed veterans Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen in free agency, but younger guys — Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez and rookie Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins — have made splash plays when rotating in on the defensive line.”
“Rodriguez has four tackles for loss through five games, including a pair of TFLs in the Vikings 48-10 rout of Cincinnati. According to analytics site Pro Football Focus, the second-year player has been one of Minnesota’s better d-linemen against the run, receiving an overall rush defense grade of 67.4.”
The PFF skinny for purple DTs is as follows:
- Jalen Redmond: 75.0
- Levi Drake Rodriguez: 68.9
- Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins: 59.1
- Javon Hargrave: 54.4
- Jonathan Allen: 49.7
Is it all upside down? Why, yes, it is.
Javon Hargrave Impactful, Too
Hargrave, among NFL DTs, ranks seventh in QB hurries (11), 10th in sacks (2), and 17th in QB pressures (13). His underwhelming PFF score doesn’t reflect the commendable performance, but to the naked eye, Hargrave has not struggled.
The two-time Pro Bowler also scripted his best game of the season last weekend, tabulating an 87.6 PFF grade against the Cleveland Browns and plotting a trend in the right direction.
So far, he has outplayed Allen, who was supposed to be Minnesota’s keynote DT addition from free agency.
A Slow Start for Jonathan Allen
Allen has raised fans’ eyebrows for one main reason: he has not logged a sack in five games. He should’ve done that by now at his price point. Minnesota signed him for $51 million over three years, and at that cost, he should have a sack or two and be nibbling at a Pro Bowl season.
To date, Allen has 11 pressures (23rd in the league among DTs), 8 QB hurries (22nd), and 3 QB hits (10th).
Optimists will maintain that Allen is merely rearing up and sitting on a breakout performance or several. The guy is 30 years old, so it’s not like he should be near any sort of age-related decline.
Depth at DT for the First Time in Years
The long takeaway is the change of pace. Although the “other” defensive tackles are stealing the show in Minnesota, the Vikings now have plentiful options at DT, welcome news for a roster spot that was glossed over for a decade.
In years past, Minnesota would employ men like Shamar Stephen, Armon Watts, and Jonathan Bullard in the middle of the defensive line. They’d call it good with players of that caliber.
Fast forward to 2025, and the purple team has Allen, Hargrave, Redmond, Rodriguez, and Ingram-Dawkins. Fans would’ve done cartwheels with just one of those interior defensive linemen standing out a couple of years ago.
More on Redmond, Ingram-Dawkins
Young of Vikings.com also noted on Redmond and Rodriguez, “The only defensive lineman to grade higher than Rodriguez against the run has been Redmond (69.3), a reliable presence in Brian Flores’ defense who has shown up against both the run and pass.”
“Originally an undrafted rookie who signed with the Panthers in 2023, Redmond joined the Vikings last season and played in 13 games. He enters this season’s bye having started all five of Minnesota’s contests of 2025 and has 3.0 sacks, 14 tackles, four tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, a pass defensed and a forced fumble. Redmond’s three sacks have unfortunately occurred during the Vikings pair of losses, but his impact was felt, nonetheless.”
It’s worth noting that Minnesota’s defensive line is one of the only roster spots not to be rattled by a barrage of injuries.
Young added, “His forced fumble against the Bengals, recovered by Allen, accounted for one of five takeaways that game. Ingram-Dawkins has seen a little less time (98 snaps) in his debut season than the rest of the group, but he’s been noticeable when on the field.”
“He batted down a Caleb Williams pass intended for Rome Odunze in Week 1, and he notched his first NFL sack Week 5 when he took down Browns rookie Dillon Gabriel.”
If you’re keeping score at home, yes, the Vikings’ DT room went from the thinnest on the depth chart in 2024 to the deepest in 2025.
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