According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Vikings All-Pro outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel has agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $23 million, with $22.4 million guaranteed, keeping him in Minnesota through the 2026 season.
Last offseason, the Vikings made a major move by signing outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, one of their top free agent additions. After five years with the Dolphins, Van Ginkel inked a two-year, $20 million deal with Minnesota, reuniting with his former coach Brian Flores.
Van Ginkel delivered a breakout campaign in his first year with the team, producing career-best numbers: 11.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, six pass breakups, one forced fumble, and two interceptions returned for touchdowns. His standout performance earned him a Pro Bowl selection, second-team All-Pro honors, and a seventh-place finish in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. Alongside fellow newcomer Jonathan Greenard, Van Ginkel was instrumental in powering a dominant Vikings defense during their 14-3 season.
Now, the former fifth-round pick out of Wisconsin has been rewarded with a significant pay bump. Rather than playing out the final year of his contract and hitting free agency in 2026, Van Ginkel is now signed through 2026, making him a free agent in 2027—unless the deal is renegotiated again before then. It remains to be seen how the new contract is structured, especially whether it reduces his 2025 cap hit of $12.4 million.
Given Van Ginkel’s stellar 2024 season and his key role in Flores’ defensive scheme, locking him up was clearly a top priority for the Vikings. He’s a versatile defender who can set the edge against the run, generate consistent pressure from various positions—logging 45 or more pressures in each of his last three full seasons, according to PFF—and contribute in pass coverage. He has three career pick-sixes and nearly had a fourth in the regular season finale against Detroit.
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