Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman and Chicago Bears cornerback Terell Smith pose collectively following an NFC North matchup at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. After the sport on Dec. 16, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the previous Minnesota Golden Gophers teammates shared a second on the sphere following the Vikings’ victory over the Bears. Obligatory Credit score: Brad Rempel-Imagn Pictures.
Many Minnesota Vikings gamers on the present roster have Professional Bowl honors to their names, imagine it or not, however the checklist of hopefuls is giant, too. With the common season nonetheless three months away, let’s peek at some gamers who may realistically get the nod in 2026.
Some gamers are wildly overdue; a pair are simply developing and will flip heads if the season bends the best approach.
The gamers are listed so as of chance to get their inaugural Professional Bowl nod (No. 1 = most probably).
Vikings Breakout Candidates with Actual Award Stakes
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner works in house towards the Tennessee Titans throughout a highway matchup at Nissan Stadium. Turner’s athleticism and pursuit potential remained necessary parts of Minnesota’s defensive method as he continued his rookie marketing campaign. The play occurred on Nov. 17, 2024, in Nashville throughout a bodily contest between the 2 golf equipment. Obligatory Credit score: Steve Roberts-Imagn Pictures.
6. Dallas Turner | OLB
This one could be a protracted shot. Most Vikings followers simply need Turner to settle in as a dependable starter and maybe obtain Professional Bowl heights in 2027 or 2028. However primarily based on his sack assortment fee in 2025, alongside along with his tendency to power fumbles, there’s a probability for Turner to completely explode.
He’s been trapped on the Vikings’ depth chart for 2 years behind Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. Now’s the time — past the shadow of a doubt — to seek out out why Minnesota traded a fortune to get Turner two years in the past.
5. Jordan Addison | WR
Right here’s a easy rule of thumb on Addison: when the quarterback is competent, Addison feasts. When the quarterback stinks, Addison all however disappears.
If Kyler Murray takes off within the Vikings’ offense, Addison may financial institution his first 1,000-yard season. He already has a knack for locating the endzone — extra so than Justin Jefferson, oddly sufficient — so he simply wants the quarterback to remain wholesome and ship the rock on time.
If Addison completed 2026 with 1,200 yards and 10+ touchdowns, Professional Bowl voters couldn’t ignore him.
4. Blake Cashman | LB
Cashman totaled 144 tackles in 13 video games final season. That quantity is mind-boggling for a man who tends to fly underneath the radar. And Cashman isn’t only a deal with service provider; he’s a staple of Brian Flores’ protection.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman meet after a recreation at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. The postgame trade mirrored the respect shared between opponents following a hard-fought matchup. The interplay occurred on Sept. 22, 2024, after Minnesota hosted Houston in a regular-season contest. Obligatory Credit score: Brad Rempel-Imagn Pictures.
Suppose Cashman maintains his deal with fee from 2025 and performs 17 video games. We’re speaking like 180-190 tackles. A Professional Bowl could be so as.
3. Jalen Redmond | DT
It’s most likely time for the world to comprehend that Redmond is just not an unintended story. Rising from the UFL, Redmond instantly turned heads within the Vikings’ 2024 protection, after which that simply carried over to 2025. Onlookers not have to attend and see if Redmond is a mirage. He’s not; he’s the actual deal.
One other 12 months of Redmondian manufacturing will seemingly draw consideration throughout the NFL. For now, he feels just like the Vikings’ model of a secret.
2. Will Reichard | Ok
Reichard took house All-Professional honors in 2025 — extra prestigious than the Professional Bowl — however Brandon Aubrey obtained the Professional Bowl love, most likely as a result of his title is extra established. Aubrey could be the primary to inform you that Reichard was a greater kicker final season; he deserved the All-Professional shoutout greater than Aubrey.
Properly, it’s time for Reichard to get Professional Bowl shine, too. He could be the most probably on the checklist to earn his first Professional Bowl journey. He banged house 11 area objectives from 50+ yards in 2025 and maintained a 94.3% area aim proportion total.
The man is the reply to Vikings followers’ prayers — that they’ve been sending to the heavens since January 1999.
Zone Protection‘s Trevor Ripley famous on Reichard earlier within the offseason, “Reichard’s automatic leg definitely deserves some significant praise. Minnesota’s offense finished 28th on the year in total EPA and 26th in scoring. You have to shudder to think what those numbers might have been had the Vikings employed a league-average kicker.”
“Reichard finished the year first in the league in field goals made over 50 yards with 11, setting a team record in the process. So, yes, Reichard’s heroics may force the Vikings to re-evaluate how close they believe they are to running it back in 2026 with similar personnel on offense. Still, he also showed them he’s a legitimate core building block for this team.”
1. Christian Darrisaw | LT
Darrisaw is, by far, probably the most overdue man on the checklist. He’s been within the league since 2021, and from the bounce, he’s performed like a Prime 10 left deal with. Professional Bowl nods? Zero.
Inexperienced Bay defender Micah Parsons gives help to Minnesota Vikings deal with Christian Darrisaw following a play throughout a divisional battle at Lambeau Discipline. The second highlighted sportsmanship amid an intense afternoon between rivals competing in tough circumstances. The scene unfolded on Nov. 23, 2025, throughout a bodily NFC North matchup. Obligatory Credit score: Wm. Glasheen-USA TODAY Community through Imagn Pictures.
He could not have deserved the glory final 12 months due to his extended ACL restoration, however along with his well being and game-readiness trending in the best path, there’s no time like the current for Darrisaw to get off the Professional Bowl schneid.
Native reporting recommended that Darrisaw appeared nice at organized workforce actions, foreshadowing that 2026 is already beginning out higher for him than 2025 ended.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
