Vikings defender dominated the 2025 season without anyone noticing

When people talk about the 2025 NFL season for the Minnesota Vikings, odds are that they are talking about the play at quarterback, superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the great year that kicker Will Reichard had, or what the future may hold for defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

While there is also a lot of talk about safety Harrison Smith, the players who made the Vikings' defense special this season typically aren't mentioned enough for how they were able to keep Minnesota in games when their offense struggled to move the ball.

Among those who deserve more recognition for their play is linebacker Blake Cashman. The 29-year-old Eden Prairie native just wrapped up his second season with the purple and gold, playing interior linebacker.

Minnesota Vikings LB Blake Cashman recognized for his play during the 2025 NFL season

Blake Cashman had a heck of a season for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025. He had a career-high 144 combined tackles, including four tackles for a loss and two sacks, in addition to defending two passes and forcing a fumble.

His play during the year went under the radar for the most part. However, when PFSN recently revealed their choices for their First-Team All-Pro Defense, the seventh-year veteran beat out the competition for the honor.

As noted by PFSN, Blake Cashman scored a 90.8 on their Impact grading scale. This placed him behind only Miami Dolphins defender Jordyn Brooks in that metric at the interior linebacker position this season.

Here is what they had to say about Cashman:

"Coming in second after a well-rounded year with a 90.8 grade is Blake Cashman, who dominated for the Minnesota Vikings this year. Despite missing three games, he still finished ninth in the NFL with 144 tackles.

In fact, his tackles per game average actually outperformed Brooks. He was also an efficient tackler with a 5.3% missed tackle rate."

Blake Cashman is entering the final year of his three-year contract with Minnesota and is a candidate for an extension this offseason. His excellent play during this season could see him cash in on his play and earn a healthy payday when his next contract rolls around.

However, Cashman will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 NFL season if he and the Vikings can't reach a deal on an extension. He paired well with linebacker Eric Wilson in Brian Flores' defensive scheme and should be a player that Minnesota wants to keep around.