The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly dipped into the spring football league ranks to beef up their defensive line by signing former XFL and UFL defensive tackle Jalen Redmond. The signing, reported by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, TX, will reportedly be made official sometime Tuesday.
Redmond starred as a disruptive defensive lineman at the University of Oklahoma before going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers, but injuries cut his attempts to make the roster short, and the team waived him in early August of that year.
In December 2023, Redmond signed with the Arlington Renegades of the then-XFL, now the UFL. Redmond once again struggled with injuries during the UFL season, but when he was healthy, he was highly productive for the Renegades. In just four games of the UFL season, Redmond stood out as one of the top defenders in the league, notching 18 tackles, five tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks.
Now Redmond will reportedly walk into a Vikings defensive tackle room that could use depth. Last year’s fifth-round pick, Jaquelin Roy, stood out at times last season and likely played well enough to earn the starting role. Behind him, however, are a lot of question marks.
The Vikings signed former Chargers and Raiders defensive lineman Jerry Tillery in the off-season to provide some depth behind Roy. They also signed undrafted free agent Tyler Manoa. Redmond will likely compete with Manoa to stay on the roster and may find himself in the rotation at the position—if he can stay healthy and perform.