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When the Minnesota Vikings signed edge rusher Kyle Van Noy in the offseason, the goal was to alleviate pressure on Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner. Instead, Van Noy has surpassed all expectations in Brian Flores' defensive scheme and has made a strong case for a contract extension.
Despite being 35 years old and in his 13th professional season, Van Noy is tied for the most tackles for loss among all Vikings defenders. He shares the team lead with inside linebacker Blake Cashman at 7.5 and shows no signs of slowing down.
As soon as general manager Nolan Teasley is able, Minnesota should secure Van Noy for another season by signing him to an extension. Keeping him with the Purple and Gold ensures the Vikings maintain a strong edge-rush presence at a low cost.
Key Analysis
Van Noy is averaging 19.2 defensive snaps per game, which is approximately 32 percent of the Vikings' total defensive snaps this year. In that limited role, he has still recorded 12 tackles, two quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks.
What makes the Van Noy signing even more impressive is that Minnesota brought the two-time Super Bowl champion and former Pro Bowl edge rusher in on a one-year, $2.75 million deal for the 2026 NFL season. Getting the type of production that Van Noy is experiencing this season at that cost is a huge bargain.
His excellent play hasn't gone unnoticed by Pro Football Focus, which has him rated as the ninth-best edge rusher in the league out of 112 qualifying players with a grade of 85.1. Although he can get after opposing quarterbacks at a solid rate, his real strength this year has been defending against the run. He has a PFF run defense grade of 86.3, which is the fourth-best of any edge rusher this season.
There's no reason not to lock Van Noy down for another season. He, Van Ginkel, and Turner have formed a dangerous trio of edge rushers who should return for the 2027 season. Plus, rewarding Van Noy for his play this season with a pay increase or bonuses would go a long way toward showing the veteran defender how much his contributions to Minnesota's defense are appreciated.
If Van Noy wants to play next season, it should be with the Vikings. And the team needs to make bringing him back a priority.