Not everybody enjoys working alongside Vikings DC Brian Flores (ask Mike Pettine or Javon Hargrave). The basic reality, though, is that he’s a sophisticated tactician who gets a lot of his crew. Plenty of players — Andrew Van Ginkel, Eric Wilson, Blake Cashman, Josh Metellus, Byron Murphy, and others — shine under his tutelage.
What about linebacker Kyle Van Noy?
At 35, the defender is no spring chicken. Van Noy got into the NFL as the No. 40 selection in the 2014 NFL Draft. The Detroit Lions selected him after a promising career at BYU. During the 2016 season, Van Noy changed his address after getting traded to New England for a mere late-round pick swap. Those Patriots would win the Super Bowl. Better yet, Flores was on staff as a linebacker coach.
Brian Flores, Kyle Van Noy, & The Vikings’ EDGE Need
Since the 2016 season, both of Brian Flores and Kyle Van Noy have been around the NFL.
Flores kept rising in the world of Patriots football. Doing excellently in New England led to a chance to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Flores wasn’t perfect in Florida but he did well, all things considered. A controversial split between coach and team led to a gig in Pittsburgh in 2022 before then functioning as the Vikings’ DC since 2023.
Meanwhile, Van Noy has been a coveted commodity.
The pass rusher played in New England until 2019. He then went to Miami in 2020, playing for Coach Flores yet again. The partnership as Dolphins was short-lived, leading to being a Patriot (2021), Charger (2022), and Raven (2023-25). Is the next stop in the Twin Cities?
Kyle Van Noy had reasonably humdrum numbers last season in Baltimore. The total stats show 20 tackles, 2 sacks, 9 quarterback hits, 4 tackles for loss, 4 passes defended, and 1 interception. Overall, Van Noy had 494 snaps. PFF clarifies that the overwhelming majority of those snaps arrived as an edge rusher.
Notably, he had a blistering season in 2024, piling up 12.5 sacks, 21 quarterback hits, and 14 tackles for loss. Is that player still in there?
Recent seasons have featured the veteran demanding somewhere between $4.25 million to $4.5 million on the cap (OTC). Consider that number as the firm ceiling for what he could reasonably demand on his next deal. Quite possibly, a number closer to $3 million is the sweet spot.
On Bleacher Report, there’s a list of the NFL’s top remaining free agents. Kyle Van Noy comes in at ninth within the top ten. Scroll down a touch further and the Minnesota Vikings get listed as a team fit.
“In three seasons with Baltimore,” the article clarifies, “Van Noy recorded 23.5 sacks and 54 quarterback pressures. Because of his experience and positional versatility, Van Noy could fit with a number of defenses as a free agent. However, he’s made it known that he’d love to land with the 49ers.”
Not long afterwards, there’s an affirmation of the fit in San Francisco before clarifying that “[s]o would just about any team or coach familiar with Van Noy and what he can add as a multi-faceted veteran leader.”
The Vikings get rolling with training camp on Sunday, July 26th. Presumably, these coming weeks are going to prove pivotal in deciding whether there needs to be more help within the pass rushing department.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
