Meet the Vikings’ New Starters on Defense
The Minnesota Vikings’ defense ranked second in the NFL last year per EPA/Play, only topped by the Denver Broncos.
These are the new defensive starters for the Vikings as the team reshapes its lineup. Fresh faces are set to define a group undergoing major change in 2025.
And then the team went out and found half a lineup’s worth of new starters, believe it or not.
These are Minnesota’s new starters on defense in 2025, listed alphabetically.
Vikings Defense to Roll Out Unusual Number of New Starters
Brian Flores’ defense will look quite different in 2025.
1. Jonathan Allen | DT
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made Allen his splashy offseason addition on defense, onboarding the interior defensive lineman for three years and $51 million.
The two-time Pro Bowler with 42 sacks to his name in 109 career games will take Jonathan Bullard’s spot and represent a serious upgrade — of the DT variety that Vikings fans have dreamed about for years.
2. Javon Hargrave | DT
Soon after the Allen roster addition, Adofo-Mensah signed Hargrave, who plays the same position, for $30 million over two years. The 32-year-old Hargrave is also a two-time Pro Bowler, so Minnesota has notable veteran oomph at a spot longer ignored by various Vikings’ front offices.
Hargrave was injured for most of 2024 but reached the aforementioned Pro Bowl in 2023.
3. Theo Jackson | S
Camryn Bynum scooted in free agency to the Indianapolis Colts, and Minnesota turned around to promote Jackson, who has been attached to the back of the defensive roster since 2022.
Jackson finally gets his shot as a starter after years of his teammates claiming that he’s the real deal.
4. Jeff Okudah | CB
The Detroit Lions drafted Okudah third overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he has not lived up to that billing — at all — in five seasons.
But the working theory suggests that Brian Flores can “fix” the Ohio State alumnus. And it’s a sweet starting point for Okudah, possessing the physical traits and size to fulfill that mission. Okudah basically replaces Shaquill Griffin this season. Griffin signed with the Seattle Seahawks earlier this summer.
Our own Ted Schwerzler wrote about Okudah this month, “His production has been marred by injuries over the course of his career. Okudah has never played more than 15 games in a season, and he’s reached double-digits just twice in his five professional seasons. If he can stay on the field this year for Minnesota, he could be the final piece of a secondary looking to capitalize on an amazing front seven. It took some time for Okudah to land in this sort of situation, but things are now looking up.”
“Rejuvenated by what Flores does on defense, Okudah has drawn the attention of everyone around TCO Performance Center this training camp. It would be a full-circle moment for Okudah to have the standout season he has always thought capable of in the division that once let him go. Across 25 games with the Lions (22 starts), Okudah had 124 tackles and the only two interceptions of his career.”
5. Jalen Redmond | DT
Vikings fans were minding their business this week, not bothering anybody — and Adofo-Mensah, out of nowhere, traded Harrison Phillips and a 7th-Round draft pick to the New York Jets for two 6th-Rounders.
Minnesota is not expected to trade for a different defensive tackle or sign Christian Wilkins — although that would be nice — so that leaves Redmond as the next man up for starting duty.
Redmond busted out into prominence last season, turning heads after completing a successful stint in the UFL. The 26-year-old has gone from UFLer to Vikings starter.
6. Isaiah Rodgers | CB
The very first free-agent signing in March? A man named Isaiah Rodgers, who is also a Super Bowl champion.
Rodgers didn’t play full-time as a Philadelphia Eagle last year, but he earned a ring nevertheless. It was a bounceback season from a 2023 gambling suspension.
Minnesota anointed Rodgers a starting corner this year, and there was not much competition. He and Byron Murphy Jr. will headline the CB room in 2025.
Oh, and Rodgers has 4.27 speed for those keeping track at home. He’s a kick-returning option, too.
The Viking Age‘s Adam Patrick recently noted on Rodgers’ kick return optionality: “Given the question marks the Vikings currently have with their kick returners, though, is this something O’Connell should reconsider? Right now, it seems like rookie wide receiver Tai Felton is set to open up the 2025 season as Minnesota’s kick returner. However, Felton fumbled the ball during a kickoff return in the Vikings’ preseason game last weekend, and that has, rightfully so, led to some having doubts about his ball security skills.”
“Since entering the NFL in 2020 as a member of the Indianapolis Colts, Rodgers has returned a total of 69 kickoffs for 1,870 yards (27.1 average) and one touchdown. He’s also averaged 27 yards per return on six kickoff returns in five playoff appearances. Rodgers clearly has a skill as a kick returner. However, the upside of his return ability obviously isn’t enough for O’Connell to give the role to one of his starting corners.”
Here’s to hoping that Rodgers transforms into a reliable starter. The Vikings will need it.
You must be logged in to post a comment.