VikesNow’s 2026 Training Camp Guide: Linebackers

With training camp around the bend, VikesNow has chronicled the 2026 defensive linemen and running backs — now it’s time for a peek at the inside and outside linebackers. Generally speaking, when lumped together, the depth is strong, even with Jonathan Greenard leaving this offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles.

There also isn’t too much mystery about who will make the 53-man roster, but let’s dissect the LBs nevertheless.

Four Established Starters and a Crowded (but Good) Depth Chart

Andrew Van Ginkel | OLB

Van Ginkel is the main guy now at OLB with Greenard playing for the Eagles. He missed five games last year with a neck injury but still generally performed at his newfound Pro Bowl-caliber level. The fan-favorite also quietly turned 31 this summer, so the clock is ticking for him to do some damage in the playoffs and maybe even win a Super Bowl.

The Vikings need Van Ginkel’s playmaking and dependability now more than ever without Greenard.

Dallas Turner | OLB

Alas, it’s Turner’s time.

Minnesota spent a fortune to get him during the 2024 NFL Draft, and it’s time for Turner to pay the bill. Thankfully, he turned the corner last year when Greenard got hurt, logging 8 sacks and transforming into a forced-fumble machine.

You’ll see “breakout player” articles on the internet before the start of the regular season; Turner is included in most editions. A franchise cannot let a player like Greenard walk without knowing that Turner can be special.

Blake Cashman | ILB

Cashman was on pace for nearly 200 tackles if not for his four-game injury absence in 2025. He’s back as a starting off-call linebacker at training camp, though some credible reporting this week claimed he’s battling a lingering finger issue.

The Eden Prairie native is also due for a contract extension; 2026 is his last scheduled season on the books.

Eric Wilson | ILB

Wilson started the 2025 campaign at the Chicago Bears, playing at a Pro Bowl clip and then never really stopped. Previously, most coaches used Wilson as a special teams asset, but Brian Flores unlocked him last year as a full-time inside linebacker.

The Vikings extended his deal for three years in March, connecting him to the enterprise through the end of 2028.

Jake Golday | LB

Some think this 2nd-rounder will play with a style similar to Van Ginkel; others say Anthony Barr. In either case, Minnesota should be in good hands with those Golday comps. Based on his draft stock, Flores will likely deploy him as a hybrid in the middle of the field and on the edges of the defensive line.

Reminder: it’s unclear if Golday will play right away as a rookie or watch and learn behind Cashman and Wilson. Stay tuned.

Ivan Pace Jr. | ILB

Flores benched Pace Jr. last year in favor of Wilson, mainly because Pace Jr. began experiencing tackling troubles. The 2026 campaign will reveal whether Pace Jr. is closer to a starter or backup. A few fans think he could be a surprise roster cut if Golday is ready for live-game action.

Bo Richter | OLB

The Vikings need an OLB3 to step up after the Greenard trade, and based on recent snap counts, that could be Richter. He’s been a special teams mainstay through two seasons in the NFL. He must show at training camp if he fits the OLB3 job description.

Tyler Batty | OLB

Batty is in the same boat as Richter — likely to make the active roster but unclear where he fits in the defense. He’s a huge dude, and if he can “figure it out on defense,” well, Minnesota needs EDGE bodies to support Van Ginkel and Turner.

Chaz Chambliss | OLB

An undrafted rookie from Georgia last year, Chambliss played 183 special teams snaps and 25 on defense during his maiden voyage. The same assignment likely awaits him in 2026.

Cam’Ron Stewart | OLB

The Vikings found Richter from undrafted free agency in 2024. The Vikings found Batty from undrafted free agency in 2025. Is Stewart next?

Keli Lawson | ILB

Lawson brings unusual length at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds after four seasons at Virginia Tech and one at UCF, where he returned a fumble for a touchdown and recorded two sacks in the season finale. He’s a dark horse to turn heads at training camp.

Bangally Kamara | ILB

Kamara is undersized for an off-ball linebacker at 6’1 and 225 pounds, but he thrived in his final season at Kansas. He has practice squad upside.

Jacob Roberts | ILB

Roberts arrives as an intriguing CFL import after piling up 97 defensive tackles, 19 special-teams tackles and four sacks for Calgary in 2025.

Josh Ross | ILB

Ross brings NFL experience and a special-teams-first resume, giving him a backhanded path to compete for Minnesota’s practice squad.

Arden Walker | OLB

The undrafted Colorado product recorded eight sacks and 11 tackles for loss across 36 college games, making him a developmental edge rusher worth keeping an eye on this summer.

VikesNow Projection for OLBs and ILBs on 53-Man Roster:

The Vikings have teased a DT-to-OLB conversion for Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, so he could be in the mix here, too, when it’s all said and done this summer.

General manager Nolan Teasley could also sign a veteran OLB like Leonard Floyd, Haason Reddick, or Jadeveon Clowney to add to this group. The Vikings have about $13 million in cap space.

───────────── ─────────────
VikesNow Verdict: Van Ginkel, Turner, Cashman and Wilson give Minnesota a steadfast group of starters. The intrigue rests behind them, where Golday’s versatility, Pace’s response, and a wide-open OLB3 competition will highlight LB festivities in Eagan.
───────────── ─────────────

About The Author

Dustin Baker

Dustin Baker is the co-founder and editor of VikesNow, a novelist, a writer at CBS Sports, and a political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders, is out now, along with his debut thriller, The Motor Route. He hosts VikesNow on YouTube and has followed the Minnesota Vikings intently since 1996. Guilty pleasures include peanut butter ice cream, The Sopranos, Basset Hounds, and The Doors.

See author's posts