During the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah era, the Minnesota Vikings have been the class of the NFL at finding low-cost, overlooked talent for their roster.
Minnesota's front office would love to have this 2024 roster decision back, however.
Khyiris Tonga, a seventh-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2021, spent two seasons with the Vikings as a rotational defensive tackle. He wound up making four starts for the Vikings, including their final two games of 2023, before moving on in free agency for a $1.75 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals.
At the rate Tonga’s currently going for the surging New England Patriots, he might not find himself back on the market anytime soon.
The Patriots’ new regime, led by Mike Vrabel, got to Tonga early this offseason — and he might already be the biggest free-agent steal of 2025.
The New England Patriots are beating the Minnesota Vikings at their own game with versatile DT Khyiris Tonga
The Patriots signed Tonga to a $2.1 million contract back in March, but he’s quickly become one of their top candidates for an extension.
He entered Thursday night’s home game against the New York Jets ranked 30th of 125 interior defenders, per Pro Football Focus, thanks to his 68.6 pass-rush grade. He’s been just as solid against the run for New England, which went nine consecutive games this season without allowing a 50-yard rusher.
The true value of Tonga is sudden ascension into a three-phase player. On top of playing on New England’s field goal block team, he’s been mixing in as a fullback over the past two weeks, and his impact on offense has been impossible to ignore.
Tonga has played nine total offensive snaps — all run plays — and has graded out as the Patriots’ top run blocker, per PFF’s metrics. He made one of the most pivotal plays of the Patriots’ 28-23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, bulldozing the entire left side of the line to allow speedy running back TreVeyon Henderson to gain the edge and break free for a 69-yard touchdown.
The Vikings found their own hidden gem in Jalen Redmond, who’s about three years younger than Tonga (and playing on a less-expensive contract). He could be a key cog in the middle of the Vikings’ defensive line beyond 2025, and has been one of the NFL’s most underrated interior pass rushers this year.
Still, the Vikings committed $81 million this offseason to beef up their defensive line with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Their front office prides itself on finding the Khyiris Tongas of the world, and the Patriots’ new secret weapon is suddenly looking like the one that got away from Adofo-Mensah and company.