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Free agent pass rusher Matthew Judon.
The Minnesota Vikings have top-end pass rushers on the roster, but the group is one playmaker shy of complete with less than month remaining before training camp begins.
That is the position of ESPN’s Aaron Schatz, who suggested on Thursday, June 26, that what the Vikings’ roster needs more than veteran quarterback insurance or another bonafide starting cornerback on the outside is an edge rusher to round out the position group.
He named Matthew Judon, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens as the target Minnesota should pursue.
The Vikings are set with their starting edge rushers, Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. They have 2024 first-round pick Dallas Turner waiting in the wings. And then after that, well … who is Bo Richter?
The Vikings could really use a veteran to provide depth and rotate in every so often. Judon had a disappointing 2024 season with just 5.5 sacks for the Falcons, and he seems to be on the decline (he turns 33 in August). Still, he can get after the passer, and some reps as a backup might really rejuvenate his career.
Judon is a four-time Pro Bowler, an honor he last earned with New England in 2022. He has amassed 174 QB hits, 94 tackles for loss and 72 sacks over the course of his nine-year NFL career.
Spotrac projects Judon’s market value at roughly $8.4 million over a new two-year contract. He finished out a four-year deal worth $54.5 million total in 2024.
Vikings Hit Big With 2 Pass-Rusher Signings in 2024
GettyEdge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel of the Minnesota Vikings.
Judon would step into the Vikings’ defensive huddle as the clear No. 4 pass-rushing option directly behind Turner, who is entering his second professional season in 2025.
Minnesota selected Turner out of Alabama in the first round of last year’s draft (No. 17 overall), likely with the expectation that he would play more than he did. Turner’s relatively minimal usage rate wasn’t due to a problem with him, but rather an unexpected and happy surprise with regards to the signings of Greenard and Van Ginkel — particularly the latter.
Both men were first-year Vikings last season and both produced career campaigns. Greenard put up 18 tackles for loss and 12 sacks and earned a Pro-Bowl nod for the first time in five professional seasons. He also finished 11th in Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) voting.
Van Ginkel was a Pro Bowler and a Second-Team All-Pro, both for the first time, and finished seventh in DPOY voting on the strength of 18 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, three forced turnovers and a league-leading two defensive touchdowns.
Dallas Turner Ready for Increased Role With Vikings
Image courtesy of the Minnesota VikingsEdge rusher Dallas Turner of the Minnesota Vikings.
As a result, Turner produced just three tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception in 16 games played, as he saw only 300 defensive snaps (28%). He also played 226 snaps on special teams (53%).
Turner’s defensive usage rate should increase in 2025, even if Greenard and Van Ginkel — the latter of whom just inked a contract extension that locks him up through 2026 — repeat their successes from last season. Turner will see considerably more field time if either Greenard or Van Ginkel suffers an injury, which is another reason Judon makes sense as a depth addition at a reasonable annual rate.
Richter joined the Vikings as an undrafted free agent out of Air Force in 2024. The outside linebacker appeared in 14 games for Minnesota last season, playing 29 snaps on defense and 267 snaps on special teams.
Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group's family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
