Murphy (knee) visited the Steelers on Friday, Alan Saunders of SteelersNow.com reports.
The 25-year-old spent the vast majority of the 2025 season on the Vikings' practice squad after he injured his knee in Week 2 against Atlanta. Minnesota cut Murphy earlier this week. He's appeared in three career regular-season games.
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Vikings' Jalen Redmond: Shines in second campaign
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Redmond tallied 62 tackles (33 solo), including 6.0 sacks, five defensed passes, a forced fumble and two recovered fumbles over 17 games during the 2025-26 regular season.
After starting just two of the 13 regular-season games in which he appeared as a rookie, Redmond made 15 starts in 17 contests this season. The undrafted Oklahoma product earned the role with a strong campaign that included 6.0 sacks -- fourth-most on the Vikings. Redmond is slated to be an exclusive rights free agent, and he'll almost certainly be back with Minnesota next season, perhaps with a much-deserved multiyear contract in tow.
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Vikings' Harrison Smith: Notches two pickoffs in 2025-26
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Smith finished the regular season with 54 tackles (37 solo), including 1.0 sacks, 10 defensed passes (including two interceptions), a forced fumble and a recovered fumble over 15 games.
Smith missed Minnesota's first two games due to an illness but proceeded to suit up for each of the team's final 15 contests. While he finished with the lowest tackle total of his 14-year career, Smith did tie for the Vikings lead with 10 defensed passes, marking the seventh time he's reached double digits in that category in a regular season. Smith has hinted that he's leaning toward retirement -- if that's the case, he'll conclude his career with six Pro Bowl berths and two All-Pro selections.
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Vikings' Dallas Turner: Concludes campaign on high note
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Turner recorded six tackles (four solo), including 2.0 sacks, and forced a fumble in Sunday's 16-3 win over Green Bay. For the season, he posted 66 stops, including 8.0 sacks, three defensed passes and four forced fumbles across 17 games.
Turner registered a strip sack of Packers QB Clayton Tune on Green Bay's second offensive series, though the Packers were able to recover the fumble. He got to Tune again for a seven-yard loss in the third quarter. That pair of sacks pushed Turner to 8.0 on the season, catapulting him into the Minnesota lead for the campaign. Turner started 10 of the Vikings' 17 contests in his second NFL season and seems to be growing into one of the team's top defenders as he approaches the third year of his rookie contract.
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Vikings' Byron Murphy: Takes step back in 2025-26
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Murphy concluded the regular season with 71 tackles (48 solo), seven defensed passes (including two interceptions) and one fumble recovery over 17 games.
Murphy started all 17 of Minnesota's contests for the second straight season, but he couldn't replicate his 2024-25 Pro Bowl campaign. Murphy finished with 10 fewer stops and seven fewer pass defenses, and while he tied for the Vikings' lead with two pickoffs, that number was well below the six he recorded the previous season. Murphy was still a central part of the team's defense and should continue to fill that role next season in what will be the second year of the three-year extension he signed last March.
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Vikings' Andrew Van Ginkel: Sets career high in defensed passes
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Van Ginkel posted five tackles (four solo) and two defensed passes in Sunday's 16-3 win over Green Bay in Week 18. He concluded the campaign with 54 stops (28 solo), including 7.0 sacks, 10 defensed passes (including an interception) and two fumble recoveries across 12 games.
Van Ginkel missed four games early in the campaign due to a neck injury, marking the first time since his rookie 2019 season that he had to sit out any contests. The missed time likely contributed to his sack total dipping a bit compared to the 11.5 sacks he posted during the regular season in 2024, but it didn't keep Van Ginkel from registering a career-best 10 pass defenses (tied for most on Minnesota). Van Ginkel signed a one-year extension last April, so he should be back to help anchor the Vikings' defense again in 2026.
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Vikings' Jonathan Allen: Closes campaign with three stops
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Allen posted three tackles (one solo) in Sunday's 16-3 win over the Packers. He finished the season with 68 tackles (29 solo), including 3.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery over 17 games.
Allen wasn't prolific but managed to stay healthy in his first campaign outside of Washington after he played in just eight regular-season games for the Commanders last year. The veteran defensive end's 68 stops tied a career-best regular-season mark, though his 3.5 sacks were his fewest over a full season since 2020. This was the first campaign of Allen's three-year contract, though it's not out of the question that the Vikings could opt to cut him in the offseason.
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Vikings' Eric Wilson: Impactful in Minnesota reunion
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Wilson recorded 115 tackles (60 solo), including 6.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles across 17 games with the Vikings in 2025.
Wilson started his NFL career with the Vikings in 2017, and he opted to rejoin the organization on a one-year, $2.6 million contract after spending the three prior years with the NFC North rival Packers. The return home was the right move for Wilson, who registered career highs in sacks and forced fumbles while posting the best tackling numbers since 2020 with the Vikings (122 tackles -- 62 solo -- across 16 regular-season games). The veteran linebacker enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent and could command a sizable pay day given his strong numbers in 2025.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Strong finish to 2025-26 campaign
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Cashman recorded seven tackles (three solo), including 1.0 sacks, in Sunday's 16-3 Week 18 win over Green Bay. He concluded the season with 144 stops (61 solo), including 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble and two defensed passes across 13 contests.
Cashman got some well-deserved rest in the season finale -- he logged fewer than 90 percent of Minnesota's defensive snaps for the first time since Week 1 -- but still managed to finish second on the team in stops. The veteran linebacker capped a productive campaign with a sack of Green Bay QB Clayton Tune for a 10-yard loss in the fourth quarter. Though he missed four games due to injury, Cashman still set a career-high mark with 144 tackles on the season, ranking ninth in the NFL in that category. Cashman should be back to anchor the Vikings' defense in 2026 in what will be the final season of a three-year contract, barring an extension.
Takitaki (hamstring) is questionable to return to Sunday's game versus the Packers.
Takitaki was a weekend elevation from Minnesota's practice squad for Week 18, but he exited the contest early after hurting his hamstring. Until he's ready to return to the field, Bo Richter could be a candidate to see additional reps at linebacker.
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Vikings' Dwight McGlothern: Inactive with hip issue
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McGlothern (hip) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Packers.
McGlothern's absence means that his minimal role on special teams will have to be filled by another defensive back. Zemaiah Vaughn is likely the next man up and will log a few special-teams snaps in Sunday's game.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Full practice Thursday
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Cashman (elbow) was a full participant at practice Thursday.
Cashman was able to log a full session after opening the week as a limited participant at practice Wednesday with an elbow issue. The linebacker is now set to try and build off of his 17-tackle performance from Week 17 against the Lions when the Vikings square off with the Packers on Sunday.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Managing elbow issue
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Cashman (elbow) was limited in practice Wednesday.
Cashman thrived with a season-high 17 tackles against Detroit on Christmas Day, but he appears to have hurt his elbow in the process. At this point it seems more likely than not that the veteran linebacker will be able to suit up for Sunday's season finale against the Packers, though Cashman's practice status throughout the remainder of this week bears keeping an eye on. Should Cashman have to sit out Sunday's contest, Ivan Pace could absorb most of his snaps on defense.
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Vikings' Elijah Williams: Placed on injured reserve
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The Vikings placed Williams (ankle) on injured reserve Monday.
Williams sustained an ankle injury during the Vikings' win over the Lions on Christmas Day, and his placement on IR means he won't be available for Minnesota's regular-season finale against Green Bay on Sunday. Williams served in a deep rotational role on the Vikings' defensive line while also contributing on special teams, and the undrafted rookie will finish his first NFL regular season with nine tackles (six solo) across seven games.
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Vikings' Zemaiah Vaughn: Catches on with Minnesota
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The Vikings signed Vaughn from the practice squad to the active roster Monday.
Vaughn signed with the Vikings in May as an undrafted free agent and opted to stick around in Minnesota as a member of the team's practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster at the end of training camp. He'll be a part of the Vikings' active roster for their regular-season finale against the Packers on Sunday and will give Minnesota a potential contributor on special teams while providing depth in the secondary.
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Vikings' Jonathan Allen: Notches seven tackles Christmas Day
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Allen posted seven tackles (three solo) during the Vikings' 23-10 win over the Lions on Thursday.
Allen finished Thursday's game with the second-most tackles on the Vikings behind Blake Cashman (17). Allen has posted at least seven stops in back-to-back games and is up to 65 tackles (28 solo), including 3.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery through 16 regular-season games.
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Vikings' Byron Murphy: Tallies two turnovers vs. Detroit
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Murphy posted three solo tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery during the Vikings' 23-10 win over the Lions on Thursday.
Murphy scooped up a Jahmyr Gibbs fumble early in the second quarter, and the former caused another turnover by picking off Jared Goff midway through the third frame, which ended up leading to a 52-yard field goal from Will Reichard nine plays later. Both of Murphy's two interceptions have come over the last two weeks, and the 2019 second-rounder is up to 67 tackles (45 solo) and seven pass defenses through 16 regular-season games.
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Vikings' Blake Cashman: Season-high 17 tackles vs. Detroit
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Cashman recorded 17 tackles (six solo), including 1.0 sacks, during the Vikings' 23-10 win over the Lions on Thursday.
After matching a season high with 16 tackles against the Giants in Week 16, Cashman did one better Christmas Day with 17 stops, which were his most in a game since Week 11 of the 2023 season (19 tackles). Cashman has recorded double-digit stops in four consecutive games and in nine of his last 10 outings. He's up to 137 tackles (58 solo), including 1.0 sacks, two pass defenses and one forced fumble through 12 regular-season games.
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Vikings' Dallas Turner: Has sack and forced fumble
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Turner had five total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, a forced fumble and four QB hurries in Thursday's win over Detroit.
Turner played on 72 percent of the defense's snaps as he continues to become a larger factor in Minnesota's pass rush. He now has a career-high 6.0 sacks and three forced fumbles this season.
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Vikings' Harrison Smith: Disruptive force in win
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Smith had three total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, along with three passes defensed (including an interception) in Thursday's win over Detroit.
It was a vintage performance from Smith, who was disruptive in all phases of the defense. He's playing well enough that the 36-year-old could decide to return next season rather than retire.
