As the dust settles from the Minnesota Vikings' mandatory minicamp and the team looks toward training camp, the roster is starting to take shape. Outside of bringing in Kyler Murray to compete for the starting quarterback job, the Vikings have had a relatively quiet offseason.
But ESPN's Aaron Schatz doesn't think they should be done quite yet. He proposed that the team should sign veteran edge rusher Haason Reddick before the end of the offseason.
While Reddick is a recognizable name with plenty of production under his belt, the Vikings shouldn't even begin to consider signing him.
Minnesota Vikings can find better value than Haason Reddick in free agency
To be clear, Schatz wasn't trying to unseat Andrew Van Ginkel or Dallas Turner in Minnesota's starting lineup.
He said, "The issue here is not Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel but rather the players behind them, led by 2025 fifth-round pick Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and 2024 undrafted free agent Bo Richter.
Schatz is right about the Vikings' current depth at the edge rusher position. Brian Flores is set to rely heavily on a breakout season from Dallas Turner. Even if the third-year defender does take a major step forward, Minnesota doesn't have the depth behind him to hold strong throughout the season.
They need to bring in another veteran before the season kicks off, but Reddick isn't the right fit. As Schatz mentions, "Reddick's history of playing in flexible 3-4 defenses makes him the best fit for defensive coordinator Brian Flores because he has more experience dropping into coverage on complicated zone blitzes."
But the 31-year-old defender hasn't been productive as a pass rusher since 2023. He finished his lone season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025 with just 2.5 sacks. Rushing the passer has always been Reddick's calling card. He's a below-average run defender who should ideally only play on obvious passing downs at this point in his career.
If he's not productive as a pass rusher, what value is he bringing to the defense?
There are plenty of alternatives for the Vikings to look into if they pass up on Reddick. Joey Bosa may be out of their price range, but veterans like Derek Barnett, Jahlani Tavai, or even Jadeveon Clowney could be quality additions without breaking the bank.
Reddick could have been a good addition to the Vikings' defense three years ago. In 2026, they're better off looking at other options.
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