The Minnesota Vikings staff returned to the TCO Performance Center this weekend. This week, the grind begins.To preview the pandemonium, we’ve already compiled 45 thoughts on the team’s 45 offensive players. This time, we focus on the 46 defenders and special-teamers, including punter Brett Thorson, who is a member of the international pathway player program.Note: Thoughts are in order of player jersey numbers.Can you name the NFL sack leaders from 2025?Robert Mays and Derrik KlassenIvan Pace Jr., LB: His snaps decreased dramatically in 2025. He offers pass-rush juice, but his skills are better suited for special teams than an every-down role that requires exceptional coverage.Isaiah Rodgers, CB: Would the Vikings’ improved cornerback depth allow special teams coordinator Matt Daniels to use him as a returner? Rodgers is dynamic enough.Johnny Hekker, P: Accomplished but perhaps on the downturn. Hekker’s holding ability provides some security, but Thorson may push him.Dwight McGlothern, CB: Faces an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster. Every year, McGlothern makes plays on the ball in training camp. He will need his best performance yet.Byron Murphy Jr., CB: Looked explosive this spring. His drop in interceptions (from six in 2024 to two in 2025) frustrated him. Improved cornerback depth could allow him to play more nickel, giving the defense additional flexibility.Jakobe Thomas, S: The Vikings were elated to land Thomas in the third round of the draft. His smarts, aggressiveness and blitzing ability should make him a viable option as a rookie.Dallas Turner, Edge: The Vikings desperately need him to build off his progression in 2025, especially after losing Jonathan Greenard. The pass-rushing onus now falls on Turner.Will Reichard, K: If you come at the king, you best not miss. Thinking about you, wires.Charles Demmings, CB: Arrives with a megawatt smile and an electric personality. His athleticism pops, too. Should bring special teams explosiveness.James Pierre, CB: An unheralded yet interesting signing. How Pierre performs against Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings in practice will be telling.Jay Ward, S: Flashed at the end of last season. Ward is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and the Vikings need safeties to step up. Snaps are finally available.Kahlef Hailassie, S: The Vikings were upset to lose him after his 2025 training camp when he landed with the Jaguars. He then returned and could vie for a spot on the back end.Theo Jackson, S: Didn’t pop in his first season as a starter the way the Vikings hoped he would. A lack of safety depth could force him into a big role.Tyreek Chappell, CB: An undersized, undrafted corner from Texas A&M who showed physicality at the catch point this spring.Marcus Allen, CB: Has the name, but does he have the game? He, like Smith Vilbert, arrives from a similar defense at North Carolina with Bill Belichick at the helm.Chaz Chambliss, Edge: Coaches eyed the former Georgia product as a versatile piece worthy of a roster spot last season. Chambliss can play on the edge and at linebacker. His work ethic inspires praise.Zemaiah Vaughn, CB: Another developmental undrafted signing from last spring, Vaughn held his own last year in training camp. Displaying play strength could keep him on the 53-man roster.Tavierre Thomas, S: If the Vikings load up at safety, Thomas becomes another option. He played almost all of the special teams snaps in 2025. Positional numbers could dictate his circumstances.Da’Veawn Armstead, CB: Flew around noticeably this spring. This defensive staff tends to take a liking to a couple of undrafted players, which means the North Texas product has a shot.Jacob Thomas, S: A sneaky undrafted signing out of James Madison, he got some reps with the second-teamers this spring. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has an eye for safeties.Jake Golday, LB: Began as a linebacker. Could get some reps at edge rusher. The Vikings loved his length, speed and anticipatory skills of this tone-setter.Andrew DePaola, LS: Easily one of the coolest stories in the NFL. The man left college, stocked shelves at Best Buy, tended bar, then became a two-time first-team All-Pro.Andrew Van Ginkel, Edge: Keeping the compliments to a minimum so that he doesn’t intercept them and ruin this exercise entirely.Josh Metellus, S: Will he play in the deep half? Potential Hall of Famer Harrison Smith’s future remains up in the air. Metellus’ schematic understanding may mandate he calls signals from the back end.Brett Thorson, P: There is a YouTube clip of his 75-yard punt against Tennessee. Thorson won the Ray Guy Award last season in college. Hekker must stay on high alert.Jacob Roberts, LB: Talk about a journey here. Roberts began his college career at North Carolina A&T State University, transferred to Wake Forest and most recently played in the CFL for the Calgary Stampeders.Cam’Ron Stewart, Edge: One of the easiest predictions is that the Vikings will add to their edge rusher room before the season. Stewart is an undrafted option from Temple.Levi Drake Rodriguez, DT: One of his college coaches said that he used to show up to practice with different fruits tucked into his pockets. It no longer happens. Rodriguez, who attended Texas A&M-Commerce, still has some upside.Blake Cashman, LB: His contract is set to void after the 2026 season, so it’s possible both he and the team could rework things this fall. Cashman has helped bring Flores’ defense to life since 2023.Josh Ross, LB: Comes from the Mike Macdonald system in Baltimore and Seattle. Spent his time in 2025 on the Vikings’ practice squad. Familiarity matters.Eric Wilson, LB: Unlocked more versatility for Flores. The Vikings played a majority of their snaps in 2025 in base defense (bigger bodies). Wilson’s range made this possible.Arden Walker, Edge: An undrafted signing from Colorado, Walker will compete with a group of young off-ball linebackers for back-end roster and practice-squad spots.Keli Lawson, LB: Another towering off-ball linebacker with range, Lawson played four years at Virginia Tech before a final season at UCF.Bangally Kamara, LB: Criss-crossed the country in college, going from Pittsburgh to South Carolina to Kansas.Jalen Redmond, DT: Evolved from an awesome story to an essential contributor. Considering the overwhelming youth on the Vikings’ defensive line, they need Redmond to make another leap.Isaiahh Loudermilk, DT: Occupied a depth role for the Steelers from 2021 to 2025. Among the veteran interior defenders, he may be in pole position given his body type and ability to play several positions up front.Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DT: Worth monitoring in training camp. Ingram-Dawkins slimmed down this spring. It’s easy to forget the Georgia product is still only 23.Smith Vilbert, DT: Raised eyebrows enough in a minicamp tryout to earn a shot. Vilbert’s exposure to Belichick’s defense in 2025 should help him transition to this system as a rookie.Tyler Batty, Edge: Established his penchant to mix it up last year on special teams. Jawed with multiple opponents. Rugged and feisty.Eric Johnson II, DT: Joins the lengthy list of defensive tackles who will attempt to catch coaches’ eyes. Johnson’s 51 games of experience give him a leg up.Taki Taimani, DT: Played only 35 snaps last season. The Vikings shifted away from big-bodied nose tackle types for 2025, but morphing the defensive structure could keep him in play.Caleb Banks, DT: NFL executives and coaches from opposing teams viewed the Banks pick as a home run swing. Connect, and the Vikings will have found a potential star. Whiff, and the ramifications will be massive.Jahvaree Ritzie, DT: An interesting defensive line prospect who entered the NFL last year and spent time on the New England Patriots’ practice squad. There’s room for these lesser-known defensive tackles to make waves.Domonique Orange, DT: While Banks will demand most of the training camp hoopla, the Vikings used a third-round pick on “Big Citrus,” so his play warrants spotlight, too.Bo Richter, Edge: Similar to Chambliss and Batty, the Vikings respect his efforts on special teams and see untapped potential on the edge.Elijah Williams, DT: Still sits in the front row of all of the Vikings’ team meetings. Minnesota bet on his potential by keeping the Morgan State product on the 53-man last fall, and this August presents a huge opportunity.