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DC Brian Flores mentioned he likes to think about the defensive teaching workers as being a part of a assume tank, able to tossing concepts out into the open to spur innovation. Perhaps it’s that openness to attempting new issues that has fed into the continued experiment with Ty Ingram-Dawkins taking part in edge rusher.
The Vikings massive lad is trying leaner. Listed at 6’5” and 290-pounds, the younger lineman joined the NFL as a hybrid participant. Tasking him with lining up instantly throughout from the middle earlier than absorbing blockers was by no means in his job description. He might, nonetheless, be shuffled up and down the road in order to reach at favorable matchups.
In the meantime, Walter Rouse has obtained some alternative at guard.
An enormous man (who does nice off-field work), Rouse is dealing with an uphill battle at offensive sort out, his faculty place. All of Christian Darrisaw, Brian O’Neill, Ryan Van Demark, and Caleb Tiernan are forward of him on the depth chart. At guard, in distinction, there’s a large open competitors behind the beginning pair of Donovan Jackson and Will Fries. May Rouse grow to be the OG3 rolling into the 2026 season? Doing so would give him a clearer pathway towards sticking round and contributing.
Two Vikings Giant Lads Making an attempt Out New Spots
In Ty Ingram-Dawkins, the plan all alongside was for versatility. Does that preliminary ambition of shifting round imply a full-time job at edge rusher? Not essentially, however the risk was at all times there.
And, in equity, the Vikings have certainly not dedicated themselves to shifting the younger defender to the place as a everlasting spot. Even when they did, when has Brian Flores ever felt constrained to fixity inside a participant’s on-field task?
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores seems to be on in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers in the course of the fourth quarter at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Matt Blewett-Imagn Pictures.
Hearken to the DC. He likes working with gamers who can do a number of issues properly (assume Josh Metellus and Andrew Van Ginkel as nice examples). Generally, Ingram-Dawkins generally is a jumbo edge rusher, as has been the case at Vikings minicamp at occasions. So, too, can he be a leaner participant for the inside of the line of defense. All a part of the elements being tossed into the Flores cauldron of defensive insanity.
In Rouse, the Vikings boast a very huge lineman who has but to breakthrough. All alongside, the plan had been for a slower strategy to growth since he went within the sixth of the 2024 NFL Draft. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah even made feedback about growth, noting that it took a while in faculty however that Rouse had the potential to grow to be a bully.
Per PFF, Walter Rouse performed 13 snaps at left sort out and 75 snaps at proper sort out in 2025. What’s most discouraging isn’t the low snap depend. Reasonably, it’s that his taking part in time dropped off within the remaining half of the season, a actuality that seems significantly discouraging given the accidents to the o-line. Put merely, Rouse must proceed proving he belongs on the workforce.
On the opposite facet of the ball, Ingram-Dawkins had 135 snaps as a 3-4 defensive finish final season (assume throughout from the offensive sort out). He then had 97 snaps as an edge rusher alongside 16 in additional of a 3T spot. Given the place issues are trending, Ingram-Dawkins might even see that edge rusher snap allotment enhance.
Jun 10, 2025; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Donovan Jackson (74) and offensive sort out Walter Rouse (73) apply throughout minicamp on the Minnesota Vikings Coaching Facility. Obligatory Credit score: Matt Krohn-Imagn Pictures
An ideal world for the Vikings entails seeing these two each make the roster whereas then working themselves into meaty roles on Sunday. Not simply gown, however demand snaps regularly. Higher but, be a part of the combo for successful the road of scrimmage as a rule.
The present outlook means that Ty Ingram-Dawkins is in a greater spot than Walter Rouse, however the d-line competitors is intense after including Caleb Banks (nonetheless recovering from damage) and Domonique Orange. Each have to maintain sprucing their sport whereas acclimating to new on-field assignments.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Electronic mail: ok.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
