Emmanuel Ogbah, a versatile defender with a proven track record, could be a valuable addition to the Minnesota Vikings’ pass rush. With 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble last season, Ogbah has shown his ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks.Emmanuel Ogbah, a versatile defender with a proven track record, could be a valuable addition to the Minnesota Vikings’ pass rush. With 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble last season, Ogbah has shown his ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks. However, the Vikings have invested heavily in their pass rush this offseason, signing Jonathan Greenard and drafting Dallas Turner. Greenard and Turner have recorded 12.5 and 10.0 sacks respectively in their previous seasons, showing promise as potential game-changers. Christian Darrisaw, the Vikings’ left tackle, has praised Turner’s explosiveness and likens him to former Vikings star Danielle Hunter. This high praise suggests that Turner could make a significant impact on the Vikings’ defense. Given the number of young players the Vikings currently have at the edge rusher position, it is possible that they may view Ogbah as an unnecessary expense. With Greenard, Turner, and other players on the roster, the Vikings may prioritize developing their internal talent rather than signing Ogbah.
The Minnesota Vikings have done a lot to renew their roster on both sides this offseason, taking full advantage of the draft, deals and free agency.
One question mark that lingers is a pass rush that shows promise but little in the way of a sure-fire game-changer. The Vikings drafted Dallas Turner and signed Jonathan Greenard to replace Danielle Hunter, who signed with Greenard’s former team, the Houston Texans.
However, the Vikings ranked 19th in sacks last season with Hunter and could use more help.
“Emmanuel Ogbah has been a productive and versatile defender during his eight-year career with the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins,” Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox wrote on July 4. “The Minnesota Vikings could also consider Ogbah after reloading their pass-rushing rotation this offseason.
“Ogbah would be a luxury addition for Minnesota, but it’s worth noting his connection to Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.”
Flores coached Ogbah in Miami from 2020-2022. The 30-year-old entered the league as a second-round pick by the Browns in the 2016 draft. He won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs in the 2019 season. Ogbah recorded 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble last season.
He also had one interception, which came during Miami’s 70-20 win over Denver in Week 3.
Ogbah is two years removed from posting back-to-back 9.0-sack seasons. He was entering the third year of a four-year, $65.4 million contract extension, but the Dolphins released him in February.
Vikings have added a pair of the top 32 EDGE defenders on the free agent market
” decoding=”async” aria-hidden=”true” class=”i-amphtml-intrinsic-sizer” role=”presentation” lazy=”1″ alt=”” />
GettyAndrew Van Ginkel #43 of the Miami Dolphins.
The Vikings have $26.2 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap. They also signed another former Dolphins who played under Flores, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, who signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the Vikings in free agency.
Greenard and Van Ginkel recorded 12.5 and 6.0 sacks respectively in 2023, which is their personal best.
With 16.5 sacks, Hunter ranked fifth last season, showing just how dire the situation was for the Vikings around him.
The Vikings’ new duo landed an early top 32 pick in Pro Football Focus.
“Van Ginkel had a banner year in nearly every category in 2023, posting a 91.2 overall grade and a 90.6 pass-rush grade,” PFF’s Trevor Sikkema wrote on May 30. “His 53 quarterback pressures and 18.1% pass-rush win rate were both by far the best numbers of his career. We’ll see if he can continue that impactful play with the Minnesota Vikings.”
Van Ginkel is ranked 24th on the list, six spots higher than Greenard, despite the latter signing a more lucrative contract of $76 million over four years.
“Greenard had his best season as a pro in 2023, posting a 78.2 overall grade thanks to a 73.2 pass-rush grade. He finished the year with 12.5 sacks and a 12.8% pass-rush win percentage,” Sikkema wrote. “He’ll now look to build on that as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.”
If their presence doesn’t diminish the Vikings’ potential interest in Ogbah, Turner could.
Dallas Turner Impressed Christian Darrisaw
” decoding=”async” aria-hidden=”true” class=”i-amphtml-intrinsic-sizer” role=”presentation” lazy=”1″ alt=”” />
GettyDallas Turner #15 of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings moved up to select Turner, landing the former Alabama Crimson Tier with the 17th pick in the 2024 draft.
Turner recorded 10.0 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss as a junior last season.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlien compared Turner to New York Giants edge defender Brian Burns. But teammate and Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw saw flashes of Hunter from the rookie during the offseason program. He also had high praise for Greenard.
“I think Dallas is going to be special — and Greenard,” Darrisaw told reporters in May. “Just watching him (Greenard) all year, he had a great year. And then 1-5 (Turner’s jersey number), it gets him excited. Just seeing that drift pick everywhere, it’s definitely going to help us. He’s definitely going to be a solid player. But yeah, we got two good ones.
“Definitely (Turner’s) explosiveness (shows itself). He’s got that burst. He’s fast. He had a spin move, maybe last week, that was faster than Danielle’s. I thought, ‘D***, this guy’s going to be special.’”
The Vikings might view Ogbah as an unnecessary expense given the number of players they already have.
