Vikings sign Andrew Van Ginkel to two-year deal
The Minnesota Vikings have signed former Miami Dolphins EDGE rusher Andrew Van Ginkel to a two-year, $20 million deal worth $20 million, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter was among the first to report Monday.
This marks the third Dolphins linebacker lost off its linebacking core–the other two being Jerome Baker and Emmanuel Ogbah–and the seventh defensive player in total.
The 28-year-old EDGE rusher was one of Miami’s most important players defensively last season, tallying six sacks, 69 total tackles, eight tackles-for-loss and eight pass breakups in 17 games (11 starts). He will add to a Minnesota linebacking core that features Ivan Pace Jr. and Josh Metellus, among others.
Van Ginkel is Minnesota’s second defensive signing at the start of free agency; it also added Texans pass rusher Jonathan Greenard to a four-year deal.
Last season, the Vikings were a fringe top-10 defense (a mark that dipped toward the end of the year) without much talent. Van Ginkel and Greenard plan to help supplement any production lost by Danielle Hunter, an unrestricted free agent.
Van Ginkel will also reunite with former head coach and current Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who loves players who can do multiple things defensively, which Van Ginkel can. Flores loves to disguise his fronts and will ask his front seven to do multiple things. Van Ginkel’s previous experience in Flores’ system makes this a solid fit for an EDGE group that desires additional depth.
Despite losing quarterback and captain Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons, third-year general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has appeared to have prioritized the defensive side of the ball for the short- and long-term. What do you think about this move? Let us know in the comments below!
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This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.
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