EAGAN, Minn. — Players are less than a week away from reporting for 2025 Vikings Training Camp presented by Omni Viking Lakes Hotel.

The first public practice is scheduled for Saturday, July 26, as part of Back Together Weekend, which is presented by The Salvation Army.

In preparation for the return of football, we started a position-by-position preview of the Vikings with quarterbacks. Rob Kleifield delved into wide receivers and tight ends Tuesday, and yesterday I tackled (pun intended) offensive line and running backs. That means we're looking at the defensive front seven today before wrapping up the week with the secondary.

DEFENSIVE LINE

ROSTER REFRESHER

RETURNING STARTER: Harrison Phillips

OTHER RETURNEES: Travis Bell (PS in 2024), Jonathan Harris (PS in 2024), Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez and Taki Taimani

NEWCOMERS: Veterans Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave; draft pick Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins; UDFAs Alexander Williams and Elijah Williams

2024 RECAP: Phillips, who was joined last season by Jerry Tillery and Jonathan Bullard, was active in shaping one of the NFL's stingiest run defenses, as Minnesota was one of seven teams to permit fewer than 100 yards on the ground per game (93.4 avg.). Yes, there were lapses — they allowed 140-plus rushing yards four times, including twice against the Lions — but mostly the group governed the line and dictated run-game terms at Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores' bidding. The group didn't stand out in the same way against the pass, however, failing to generate much pressure. As Rob Kleifield noted in his position recap back in January, Flores' defense generated 62 hurries (4th in the NFL), 69 knockdowns (tied for 3rd), 49 sacks (T-4th) and 180 pressures (T-2nd), but those numbers were rarely generated by the interior line.

2 KEY QUESTIONS FOR VIKINGS DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

1. What immediate impact will Allen and Hargrave make?

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wanted to address the interior of both the offensive and defensive lines this offseason, and they certainly did so with big moves in free agency.

Signing veterans Allen and Hargrave adds 17 prior seasons of experience to the position group that has several developing players. Flores asked quite a bit last season of Phillips, who played 675 snaps — though that was down from a whopping 839 in 2023 — and adding Allen and Hargrave into the mix will likely allow everyone on the line to keep their legs a bit fresher.

Phillips spoke to Twin Cities media members last month and noted the importance of a strong rotation up front.

"You know, the three of us are older players," he said, "so anytime you can go out there in platoon, in three- to five- to six-play roles, you can really attack with waves. And because of the depth we have, we'll truly have waves that we can throw in — and also the versatility of different packages."

2. Will we see splashier pass rush plays from inside?

As most defensive linemen, Allen and Hargrave are of the blue-collar variety; but that doesn't mean they haven't made big-time plays against quarterbacks. The former Commander and Niner are joining the Vikings with 42 and 45.5 career sacks, respectively, and coaches expect them to continue their disruptive tendencies. The addition of the experienced duo could allow Flores to plan for more pressure from his defensive line's interior. And while the run game has historically been more of Phillips' strength, he's steadily focused on his pass rush and has more sacks over three seasons in Purple (6.5) than his 1.5 over four seasons with Buffalo.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS

ROSTER REFRESHER

RETURNING STARTERS: Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard

OTHER RETURNEES: Gabriel Murphy, Bo Richter and Dallas Turner

NEWCOMERS: UDFAs Tyler Batty and Chaz Chambliss

2024 RECAP: Greenard and Van Ginkel each played 81 percent of Minnesota's snaps on defense across 17 regular-season games, combining for an impressive 23.5 sacks and 36 tackles for loss. Greenard's 84 total pressures tied with Rams rookie Jared Verse for most in the NFL in 2024. Behind the dynamic pair of Greenard and Van Ginkel, Pat Jones II, Jihad Ward, Dallas Turner and Bo Richter impacted on different phases. Turner occasionally flashed unteachable traits as a rookie and handled his main role of understudy graciously, while Richter doubled as a special teams and scout team standout. Murphy missed most of last season with an injury after generating some buzz during training camp.

Greenard and Van Ginkel were elected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in their careers. Van Ginkel garnered Second-Team All-Pro distinction, as well, and became the first player since Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor in 2006 with 10-plus sacks and two picks for TDs in a single season.

2 KEY QUESTIONS FOR VIKINGS OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS

1. Will Greenard & Van Ginkel Repeat Their Impact on 2024 Vikings?

As noted above, Greenard and Van Ginkel were a force to be reckoned with in their debut Vikings season.

Will they be able to replicate that success during the upcoming season?

There's really no reason to believe otherwise, as the two now have an entire year in the system under their belts and are wisely and creatively utilized by Flores.

Greenard and Van Ginkel both stayed healthy last season and have looked good throughout OTAs and minicamp practices. After enjoying a brief summer hiatus (during which Van Ginkel announced he and his wife Sam are expecting a third son in December), the duo is raring to go for another campaign in Purple.

2. What Does Year 2 Look Like for Dallas Turner?

The intangibles are there for Turner, and he consistently took steps forward throughout his rookie season. Is it reasonable to expect a significant uptick in productivity from the 2024 first-round pick?

Turner last season played in 16 games and totaled 300 defensive snaps, recording 20 tackles, 3.0 sacks, three tackles for loss, one pass defensed and an interception. He spoke with Twin Cities media members during minicamp and acknowledged the learning curve he navigated in Year 1, while also emphasizing increased comfortability and focus heading into Year 2.

Turner told reporters he's "way ahead" at this point in the offseason from where he was 12 months ago, both physically and mentally.

"I feel pretty strong," said the 22-year-old, who boasted a bulked-up frame this spring. "Been in the lab a lot during the offseason, having the opportunity and time to see what I really need to work on physically and attack it head-on. … I've been putting in a lot of extra time, and it's starting to show."

INSIDE LINEBACKERS

ROSTER REFRESHER

RETURNING STARTERS: Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace, Jr.

OTHER RETURNEES: Brian Asamoah II and Max Tooley (PS in 2024)

NEWCOMERS: Veteran Eric Wilson (was with Vikings from 2017-20); draft pick Kobe King; UDFAs Austin Keys and Dorian Mausi

2024 RECAP: Cashman and Pace were the hearts of Minnesota's defense, which led the league in takeaways with 33 and allowed the lowest percentage of scoring drives in the NFL in 2024 at 31.6%. Cashman racked up 111 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, a fumble recovery and eight passes defensed over 14 games. Pace started 10 of 11 games played and totaled 72 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, a fumble recovery and a pass defensed. Injuries to each of the linebackers were felt heavily by Minnesota's defense. Without Cashman, the team lost back-to-back games in October; the Vikings were also forced to navigate six games without Pace's aggressive presence. Minnesota leaned some on former linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill, a core special teamer who joined the team as a free agent last spring. He managed 20-plus defensive snaps in three games. Asamoah was limited to defensive work with big leads in hand in Weeks 3, 14 and 15, and he additionally embraced an expanded role on special teams.

TOP QUESTION FOR VIKINGS INSIDE LINEBACKERS

Where does Minnesota stand with depth behind Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace, Jr.?

The Vikings opted not to bring back Grugier-Hill this season, but they did sign a familiar face in Wilson, who started his NFL career in Minnesota and most recently spent the past three seasons with division-rival Green Bay.

Wilson brings experience — and a contagious energy — on both defense and special teams. For the Packers last season, he played 558 defensive snaps (51%) and recorded 72 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble and two passes defensed. "EWIL" seems to be a strong fit for Flores' scheme and should provide reliable depth behind Cashman and Pace. The Vikings also have Asamoah at their disposal, and it will be interesting to see how King, selected in the sixth round, makes his case at training camp for a roster spot.

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