The Minnesota Vikings, overall, have had a pretty quiet free agency this offseason. Things have picked up in recent days with the signings of Kyler Murray, Johnny Hekker, Ryan Van Demark, and Carson Wentz, but the Vikings still haven't filled many of the holes on the depth chart that they had when the legal tampering period opened.
Minnesota simply doesn't have enough cap space to address those needs and will have to find other ways to improve its roster. One way is the NFL Draft, with nine selections, but the other is for talent on the roster to elevate themselves in OTAs and training camp this season.
If some young players on this Vikings team can step up and become contributors, it would be huge for a team that is trying to remain competitive while on a budget. So, who are five Minnesota players who need to step up in 2026 due to the team's lack of activity in free agency this year?
5 Minnesota Vikings who need to step up in 2026
Tai Felton and Myles Price - WRs
WR3 is a huge need for the Vikings this offseason after Jalen Nailor signed a big contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. It's been talked about so much that it is even mentioned as a dark-horse position Minnesota could address with the 18th overall pick.
That looks like a stretch with the other glaring holes on this team, but using a Day 2 pick on the position isn't out of the question for the Vikings this offseason.
A third-round wide receiver would make a lot of sense, but Minnesota did that a year ago when they selected Tai Felton with the last pick on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Now they need that pick to start showing out.
Felton's rookie season was a bust. He was seen as a versatile piece who could even line up in the backfield at times. Unfortunately for the team, he came in pretty green and developed so slowly that the team felt they needed to go out and bring back Adam Thielen.
Felton ended up being the team's gunner and kick returner at times last season, but caught just three balls for 25 yards, mostly in garbage time. Felton has apparently been putting in the work this offseason and is motivated to have a huge jump in production in his second year with Minnesota.
That would be huge for the Vikings because even if they bring in a pass catcher fairly early in the draft, depth is needed.
Myles Price is another pass catcher on Minnesota's roster who could provide that depth. The undrafted rookie proved to be a dynamic punt returner who sparked the Vikings plenty of times in 2025 with his ability to bust off a long return.
It's a little surprising that Minnesota didn't work him into the receiver rotation, but the poor quarterback play could've been a reason.
Price isn't the biggest guy out there, standing just 5-foot-9 and weighing 183 pounds, but he's quick, shifty, and much tougher than his frame would appear. He also has shown up when the lights are on him.
He is someone who could battle to be that third option in the passing game, and the Vikings would be wise to see what he can bring to the table.
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins - DL
Without question, the defensive line has become Minnesota's biggest need as they approach the 2026 NFL Draft. Earlier this month, the Vikings released Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, and that has left a huge hole at the position.
Minnesota will likely address it early in the draft and even invest multiple picks at the position. The Vikings could also add a veteran either before or after the draft, but depth is needed.
That depth could come in the form of Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, a fifth-round pick by Minnesota from a year ago.
Ingram-Dawkins played sparingly for the Vikings as a rookie, seeing spot duty in 14 games with one start. He did show some flashes of big-play potential with a sack, a knocked-down pass, and two tackles for a loss.
He's one of the few players that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah drafted during his tenure as the Vikings general manager who presents some significant upside.
Ingram-Dawkins is a versatile player who can line up at end, kick inside, or even rush from a standing position if needed.
Depending on how the draft and free agency shake out, Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores may need to rely on that position flexibility to flesh out the talent on his line and maximize the pressure he wants to apply to opposing quarterbacks.
If Ingram-Dawkins is up for the challenge, he could see a major rise in snaps and production in 2026.
Jay Ward - S
The Vikings' secondary has some holes and is seen as one of the bigger areas of need the team has to address in the draft. Harrison Smith's assumed retirement has left a big void on the back end, and Theo Jackson disappointed when given a larger role in 2025.
Dillon Thieneman has been a very popular mock draft pick for Minnesota in the first round this year, and that makes sense. Even if he's the selection, the Vikings need someone else.
That could come in the draft, with a late spring free agency signing, or it could come in the form of Jay Ward, who may finally be ready to step into a consistent role on defense.
Ward was a fourth-round pick by Minnesota a few drafts ago and has primarily been a special teamer his first few seasons in the league.
He was looking like a disappointment until last year when injuries got him on the field, and he saw almost 250 snaps on defense. He played pretty well and is a guy who can line up in the slot or come up and attack from the line of scrimmage.
He amassed 27 tackles and gave Vikings coaches and the fans some hope that he can be a contributor.
If he can put together a solid preseason, his role should continue to increase even if Minnesota invests an early-round draft pick on a safety.
Levi Drake Rodriguez - DL
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins isn't the only Vikings defensive lineman who the team will need to step up in 2026. Levi Drake Rodriguez is in the same boat and is a player who could see a significant increase in snaps if he proves his worth this preseason.
Rodriguez came into the league raw as he played college ball at small school, Texas A&M-Commerce.
He didn't play much as a rookie but had a huge jump in his second season with Minnesota, playing 461 defensive snaps and starting two games.
Rodriguez quietly had a stellar 2025 season with 43 total tackles, eight tackles for a loss, and two sacks.
Rodriguez doesn't provide the position flexibility that Ingram-Dawkins does, and is more of an inside presence.
He'll compete for a spot on the Vikings' defensive line this summer with a highly drafted rookie and potentially a veteran who is brought in.
Whether he wins the job or not, if Rodriguez continues to develop, he'll have a significant role on Minnesota's defensive line in 2026, and if he takes a similar jump from year two to year three, as he did from year one to year two, he could have fans and analysts wondering why they thought the need was so dire in the first place.