Vikings Corner Stirs the Pot on Major Money Extension
Defensive tackle Jalen Redmond has been having an excellent season. A Vikings corner has taken notice.
CB2 Isaiah Rodgers arrived in Minnesota as a free-agent pickup back in March. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did well on the deal, signing the speedster for a pair of seasons coming in at just over $11 million. Good chance Rodgers asks for a pay bump during the offseason, turning a promising season into a heartier payday. Where are things going for Mr. Redmond?
Vikings Corner Sees Extension for Jalen Redmond
Start off with the post itself.
Rodgers is active on Twitter, commonly sending out various thoughts and ideas. The defender saw a post coming from the team’s official social media, one that declared, “[Jalen Redmond] continues to be a big bright spot for the #Vikings defense in 2025.” A retweet got sent along by Rodgers, including no message apart from eight emojis of money bags.
So, what’s the enthusiasm about Redmond all about?
The 26-year-old defensive tackle stands at 6’3″ while weighing 305 pounds. He’s a touch undersized, but he’s an impressive athlete. The one-time UDFA ran a blistering 4.81 forty within his draft year (an event where he didn’t get scooped up). Consider, as well, that he tossed up 27 reps on the bench press, suggesting he possesses power, too.
Finally, there’s his journey. Originally, Redmond was an undrafted player with the Panthers. He then played spring football before Minnesota took notice, giving him a chance. Goodness, the Vikings cut him from the team, stashing him on the practice squad.
Clearly, Jalen Redmond is someone with a work ethic. So, too, must he be someone with an admirable degree of resilience, toughness, and determination. Overcoming so many setbacks proves as much.
He has now solidified himself as the Vikings’ foremost defensive tackle. Veterans Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave earned strong contracts during the offseason. Since Harrison Phillips was still in town, Mr. Redmond looked like the DT4. Nobody thinks that’s the case any longer.
Mr. Phillips — perhaps with some cruelty — got shipped to the New York Jets prior to the season (otherwise known as the team where impressive football goes to die). And then Allen and Hargrave have had up-and-down moments. Some good, some bad.
Jalen Redmond, in contrast, has been excellent.
He has played in all ten games, starting nine. The defensive snaps sit at 462, working out to 72% of the defense’s total. Redmond has rewarded the Vikings with 34 tackles, 4 sacks, 5 quarterback hits, 7 tackles for loss, 2 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble. He has, in short, been a force in the middle, someone consistently making plays behind the line of scrimmage.
On ESPN, Jalen Redmond comes in at fourth within the DT rankings for run stop win rate. Seeing him slice through overwhelmed interior o-linemen to get into the backfield is a common Sunday sight.
The folks over on PFF have been impressed. Redmond is sitting on a 69.7 grade, a score that sees a healthy balance between a 66.7 grade for run defense alongside a 65.7 grade for rushing the passer. Taken as a whole, Redmond comes in at 28th among the 126 defensive tackles.
Now, the curve ball: Jalen Redmond is going to be an ERFA following the season. In other words, Minnesota will have ample leverage and negotiating power since Redmond is still an exclusive rights free agent.
At present, Jalen Redmond is making a mere pittance (at least in the NFL). His cap charge sits at $960,000, well below what he should be getting paid based on his on-field impact.
The top-end of the defensive tackle market sees Chris Jones demanding an average of $31 million per season. There’s then a pile who are within the $20+ million range alongside many more sitting within the $10+ million range on a per-year average.
Jalen Redmond isn’t going to reset the market. Nor, in fact, is he going to climb into the elite for his position. He should nevertheless make considerably more than what he’s making even if he’s careening toward being a bargain yet again in 2026.
Most recently, the top stories circulating around the Vikings have involved J.J. McCarthy struggling alongside potential replacements. So, too, has there been discussion of moving on from a young corner and the team injuries.
Soon enough, Jalen Redmond is going to be a top story surrounding the Vikings. Keep an eye on #61 when Minnesota takes on Green Bay in Week 12.
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