Minnesota Vikings Extend Pro Bowl Playmaking Linebacker, Andrew Van Ginkel

The Minnesota Vikings were one of the best teams in the NFL last season. Projected to win just 6.5 games in this time last year, their success caught the entire league by surprise. Can we really blame the sportsbooks and pundits for their low expectation, though.

What were they supposed to predict from a team coming off a 7-win season, that just lost its QB1 to free agency. Remember, prior to 2024, Sam Darnold was seen as an unfixable bust. So when the Minnesota Vikings entered training camp last year with just Darnold and rookie JJ McCarthy on the depth chart, there was too much unknown for much confidence, especially from the outside-looking in.

But that was far from the only uncertainty-turned-strength for the 2024 Vikings. Not only were they turning over the QB position, they were flipping much of the defense too. Even more so than this offseason, there were lots of new faces and all sorts of major questions throughout the defense.

Minnesota Vikings reward Andrew Van Ginkel

Arguably, outside (EDGE) linebacker was one of the biggest vulnerabilities. Those questions were answered rather quickly, though, when newcomers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel started blowing through blockers, sacking quarterbacks and returning interceptions for touchdowns pretty much from week one.

On Tuesday, the Vikings rewarded the latter, soon-to-be 3-year-old Wisconsin alum Andrew Van Ginkel, with a generous contract extension worth $22.4 million guaranteed.

A raise in Minnesota: Vikings reached agreement today on a one-year $23 million extension that includes $22.4 million guaranteed for LB Andrew Van Ginkel, per his agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus. pic.twitter.com/CHvbOo9sBN

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 29, 2025

When the dust settled, the Minnesota Vikings finished the 2024 season 13-3, in large part thanks to Darnold’s Pro Bowl performance, but also because the new-look Brian Flores defense wound up being one of the best in the NFL.

Related: JJ McCarthy Says He’s Ready to Start for the MN Vikings… Plus Much More

The best player on that defense was that previous part-timer, Andrew Van Ginkel, who racked up 11.5 sacks, 79 total tackles, to go with his 6 passes defended and 2 interceptions, each of which he returned for touchdowns.

Van Ginkel deserves every penny of new deal.

In 2023, the MN Vikings relied almost solely on Danielle Hunter to bring pressure from the edge. Everything else came via blitz, where the defensive coordinator Brian Flores led the league in blitz percentage, by a wide margin.

Then, they let Hunter walk in free agency, in exchange for Jonathan Greenard — who was coming off one good season with the Houston Texans — and Andrew Van Ginkel, a part-time starter for the Miami Dolphins for most of his career. They did it because of the discount being offered, due to past injury issues, especially with Van Ginkel.

But in the end, it could not have worked out better for everyone involved.