There are some tough decisions that the Minnesota Vikings will have to make this offseason, but the team is ready to execute a play to keep one of their major contributors with the team after a standout 2025 NFL season.
Last season, defensive lineman Jalen Redmond made some great plays in Brian Flores' defense, and it seems the Vikings aren't willing to let the six-foot-three, 305-pound former XFL standout test the water as a free agent.
The Minnesota Vikings are placing the exclusive rights tender on defensive lineman Jalen Redmond.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler shared a post on X revealing that the Minnesota Vikings are placing the exclusive rights tender on defensive lineman Jalen Redmond, adding that he is a candidate to receive a contract extension.
The Vikings are placing the exclusive rights tender on DL Jalen Redmond, per source. He’s an extension candidate coming off his six-sack season.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 4, 2026
Redmond was initially an undrafted free agent signed by the Carolina Panthers, but was waived that August. Then, he went to the Arlington Renegades of the XFL before coming to the Vikings before the 2024 season.
Statistically, Redmond wasn't a major factor in 2024. In 13 games with Minnesota, he had 18 tackles, two pass defenses, and one sack in 208 defensive snaps. But that limited time wasn't enough to see what he was capable of doing in the trenches.
Redmond broke out in 2025. His snap count jumped to 793 defensive snaps, and his production skyrocketed. He racked up 62 combined tackles, eight quarterback hits, six sacks, five pass breakups, and one forced fumble.
The Vikings are expected to release Javon Hargrave this offseason, and Jonathan Allen could be another player who does not wear purple and gold in 2026. If those things happen, Minnesota will need Jalen Redmond to step into a bigger role in 2026.
The exclusive rights tender is not a guarantee that Jalen Redmond will be back with the Vikings next season, but it definitely increases the odds of an extension getting done. An exclusive rights free agent has less than three years of NFL experience and cannot negotiate with another franchise, but also doesn't have to sign the tender.
If Redmond refuses the tender, he may have to sit out the season, or the Vikings could rescind the offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. However, it would be a moderate surprise if the two sides can't work out some kind of deal to keep him with the team in 2026 and possibly beyond.
Bringing a contributor like Jalen Redmond back to the Minnesota Vikings seems like a no-brainer, especially with the more expensive players above him on the depth chart possibly not returning due to their production and price tags.