The Vikings' surprising Harrison Phillips trade on Wednesday, while perhaps a precursor to another move, feels like it must have been primarily driven by the team's confidence in the depth it has at the defensive tackle position. Not only did Minnesota sign a pair of former Pro Bowl three-technique tackles this offseason, but a wave of ascending young players has impressed over the course of training camp and the preseason. This move frees up a path to more playing time for multiple members of that group, as well as one extra roster spot.
With Phillips now a member of the New York Jets, let's take stock of the Vikings' depth chart on the defensive line. At the end, we'll make a prediction on who makes the 53-man roster.
Jonathan Alle
Sep 29, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (93) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jonathan Allen
After being released by the Commanders, his team for the first eight years of his career, Allen signed a three-year, $51 million deal with the Vikings this spring. He's coming off of a season where he missed nine games due to a pectoral injury, but he returned for Washington's playoff run and has been fully healthy all offseason. Although Allen may not be the dominant pass rusher he was from 2020-22, he's only 30 and has looked great in training camp. Offensive linemen know his patented hump move is coming and they still can't stop it. Run defense is a legitimate question mark for both Allen and the other player in this tier.
Javon Hargrave
On the same mid-March day they signed Allen, the Vikings doubled down by inking Hargrave — another player released by his former team after an injury-marred season — to a two-year, $30 million deal. Hargrave suffered a season-ending triceps tear in Week 3 last September. He's two years older than Allen, but he's arguably had an even longer run and higher peak as one of the best pass-rushing defensive tackles of this era. From 2021 to '23, he posted three straight seasons with at least seven sacks, 52 pressures, and an 87 PFF pass-rush grade. If both are healthy, Hargrave and Allen are going to be a problem for opposing offensive lines, especially with the Vikings' star-studded outside linebacker group alongside them. With that said, it's worth emphasizing again that the Phillips trade creates real concerns around the Vikings' interior run defense.
Tyrion-Ingram Dawkins
Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (93) celebrates a defensive stop during the second quarter of an NCAA football game Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
Jalen Redmond
Redmond might stand to benefit more than any other player from the Phillips trade. The former Arlington Renegades (UFL) standout emerged as a scouting success story last season when he flashed real upside with a sack, two batted passes, and six tackles for loss across 200 defensive snaps. Redmond has carried that over into this year's training camp, where he has made all kinds of plays and earned regular work with the first-team defense. The 26-year-old's arrow is pointing straight up as the 2025 season approaches.
Another week, more Jalen Redmond highlights. 2 TFLs, 2 PBUs in his first career start. Providing a huge boost to the Vikings' DT room lately. pic.twitter.com/wDseanCZGS
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) December 10, 2024
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
Another player the Vikings are very excited about is Ingram-Dawkins, who they selected in the fifth round out of Georgia this year. Listed at 6'5" and 276 pounds, TID can line up all over the defensive front and make plays with his combination of length, burst, and power. A lack of college production and a perception as a tweener caused him to fall in the draft, but the Vikings think his best football is very much in front of him. Ingram-Dawkins has also earned first-team snaps in practice and projects as a Day 1 member of the Vikings' D-line rotation.
Levi Drake Rodriguez
A seventh-round pick in last year's draft, Rodriguez is a fun small-school story who has shown some promise during training camp. He plays with violent hands and a motor that is set on high at all times. The question is whether or not it'll translate to the field, given that he played a total of seven regular season snaps as a rookie.
Taki Taimani
He hasn't been discussed much this year, but Taimani made the Vikings' initial 53-man roster last year (as did Redmond and Rodriguez) as an undrafted rookie out of Oregon. At 6'1", 309 pounds, he's more of a nose tackle than a pass rusher, so he could end up on the roster again if the Vikings feel like they need more run defense in the wake of Phillips' departure.
Elijah Williams
One of the cooler stories of this Vikings offseason is Williams, a former HBCU/FCS star at Morgan State who signed with Minnesota after attending rookie minicamp as a tryout player. He's gone from being the ultimate long shot to someone with a real case to be on the 53-man roster. Williams has impressed during camp, he apparently sits in the front row at every meeting, and he's the Vikings' highest-graded defender (81.4) through two preseason games. In those games, Williams has an 81 pass-rush grade and seven pressures. He even got a Baldy Breakdown.
.@Vikings rookie UDFA DT, Elijah Williams, for @MSUBearsFB . Very active, good movement with interior pass rush ability. Stick Around, Pay Attention!! #skol #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/qjI13gLhKg
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) August 12, 2025
Jonathan Harris
Aug 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jonathan Harris (92) tackles New England Patriots running back Shane Watts (30) as offensive tackle Demontrey Jacobs (75) looks on during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Jonathan Harris
Harris has experience, having played over 1,000 regular season snaps with three different teams (mostly the Broncos) since 2019. The 29-year-old signed with the Vikings' practice squad last December and has stuck around through the offseason. Maybe the coaching staff envisions a role for Harris, who has played well during the preseason. But he's flown largely under the radar, and it's somewhat difficult to envision him making the roster over younger options with more upside.
Travis Bell
Bell is listed as the heaviest DT on the roster at 310 pounds, which maybe gives him a shot. Truthfully, that's about the only thing that stands out about the former Bears seventh-round pick, who appeared in two games with Atlanta in 2023. He has bounced around the league and signed with the Vikings' practice squad last November.
I've got six defensive linemen making the 53-man roster on Tuesday: Allen, Hargrave, Redmond, Ingram-Dawkins, Rodriguez, and Williams. Taimani and either Harris or Bell (or maybe both) can stick around on the practice squad.
It's a room that still has some real high-end talent and depth, but one that now faces a void of leadership and run defense without Phillips. That depth could be a major weapon — or it could become a concern if either of the top two players get hurt and younger guys don't step up.