News · Analysis · Community · Forever SkolThe Minnesota Vikings' youth movement along the defensive line is producing early dividends, and two players in particular could be in line for significant pay raises once their rookie contracts expire, according to a report from Vikings Territory.
Jalen Redmond, who joined the Vikings during the 2024 season, has developed into one of the team's better defensive linemen, the report states. Levi Drake Rodriguez, a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has claimed a starting role and has shown no signs of relinquishing it in 2026, per the report.
Across five starts this season, Rodriguez has recorded 9 tackles, 1 sack, 3 quarterback hits and 2 tackles for loss, according to the report. He is playing on his rookie contract, which Over the Cap values at $4,125,988 across four seasons — a modest figure by NFL standards.
The report notes that none of the Vikings' defensive linemen have yet reached the three-year mark typically associated with second-contract eligibility. Redmond, despite arriving partway through the 2024 season, is described as the most experienced of the group.
The Vikings hired Ryan Nielsen earlier this year, and the report characterizes the move as an effort to lean on his coaching to help develop the team's young defensive linemen. The report describes him as detail-oriented in working with the position group.
Whether the Vikings move to extend Rodriguez before his rookie deal expires remains unsettled. The team faces no immediate obligation to negotiate, though the report frames Rodriguez's production so far as evidence he could command a second contract once eligible — an outcome the report anticipates rather than one that has occurred.
The Vikings are scheduled to play the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7, a matchup that will pit Rodriguez against former Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones, now with Indianapolis.
Reporting from Vikings Territory.