The Minnesota Vikings will not sign veteran EDGE rusher Dante Fowler Jr., who has joined the Seattle Seahawks. The Vikings still require assistance at the outside linebacker position.
Cross One Pass Rusher Off the Board for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings will not be signing veteran EDGE rusher Dante Fowler Jr. to fill their vacant OLB3 role anytime soon; heâs now a member of the Seattle Seahawks.
The free-agent EDGE market remains crowded â in a good way â even after Fowlerâs decision.
For the first time in years, the Vikings need more help at the outside linebacker position, but it wonât be Fowler Jr.
Thankfully, the list of available OLBs remains huge.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. reacts during fourth-quarter action against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Fowler remained part of Dallasâ veteran pass-rush rotation during the 2023 campaign and brought visible energy to the field on Dec. 24, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Florida, during a tightly contested late-season matchup. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports.
The Vikings will not be signing Dante Fowler Jr. as he has joined the Seattle Seahawks.
The Vikings need to fill the vacant outside linebacker position, specifically OLB3.
Dante Fowler Jr. is a veteran EDGE rusher who has recently signed with the Seattle Seahawks.
Yes, the free-agent EDGE market remains crowded and competitive even after Fowler's signing.
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Fowler Jr. to SEA
Fowler Jr. will join the Super Bowl championâs roster. ESPNâs Brady Henderson wrote Tuesday, âThe Seattle Seahawks are signing veteran edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million, a source told the NFL Network on Tuesday. Fowler, 31, addresses the Super Bowl championsâ last remaining need. They lost Boye Mafe in free agency and had yet to sign anyone to replace him, nor did they take an edge rusher with any of their eight selections in last monthâs NFL draft.â
âFowler made a free agent visit with Seattle before the draft. As of the Monday after the draft, free agent signings no longer count against their new teamâs formula for compensatory picks in 2027; OverTheCap.com projects the Seahawks to receive four.â
For the Vikingsâ sake, knowing Fowler Jr.âs value â up to $5 million for one year â lets fans know that a quality pass rusher can still be signed for cheap.
The Career Production
The Seahawks will onboard a fantastic depth EDGE, who can start when called upon. Hereâs his career production:
2025: 77.6 Grade | 3 Sacks | 30 Pressures
2024: 60.5 Grade | 11 Sacks | 50 Pressures
2023: 63.8 Grade | 5 Sacks | 36 Pressures
2022: 61.3 Grade | 6 Sacks | 40 Pressures
2021: 55.9 Grade | 5 Sacks | 30 Pressures
2020: 49.9 Grade | 4 Sacks | 30 Pressures
2019: 72.0 Grade | 15 Sacks | 67 Pressures
2018: 66.3 Grade | 6 Sacks | 46 Pressures
2017: 56.5 Grade | 11 Sacks | 46 Pressures
2016: 59.5 Grade | 4 Sacks | 39 Pressures
And Fowler Jr.âs team resume since 2016:
Like many pass rushers before him, Fowler Jr. has forged a journeymanâs path as of late.
Seahawksâ EDGEs
With Fowler Jr. in the mix, hereâs a peek at the Seahawksâ outside linebackers for 2026:
That isnât the most elite group in the NFL, but the unit wasnât star-studded in 2025 either, and the Seahawks won the Super Bowl anyway. No matter how you look at it, Seattleâs EDGE group will be just fine. The proof is in the pudding.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. walks off the field following a matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Leviâs Stadium. Fowler played a rotational edge-rushing role for Dallas during the 2023 season, and the postgame moment occurred on Oct. 8, 2023, in Santa Clara, California, after a nationally watched NFC showdown. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports.
CBS Sportsâ Zachary Pereles noted on Fowler Jr. to his new team, âSeattle overwhelmed opponents not just with top-end defensive front talent, but with depth in that area, too. Ten different players registered at least 70 pass-rush snaps, led by defensive line stalwarts Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II.â
âOn the outside, Demarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall and Mafe could all wreak havoc. With Mafe gone, the Seahawks had an open spot to fill out pass-rush rotation, and Fowler is, for now, the likely answer. He only had three sacks last year, but his 13% pressure rate wasnât half bad â above average among the defensive ends/outside linebackers who had at least 200 pass rush snaps last year, and actually just above Mafeâs rate.â
The Seahawksâ defense ranked No. 1 in the NFL per EPA/Play a year ago.
Perelese added, âPlus, Fowler had a 14.1% pressure rate in 2024 and a 19.3% pressure rate in 2023. Given Mike Macdonaldâs talent designing and calling defensive plays and the immense talent around him, Fowler should fit in as yet another productive depth pass rusher.â
The Remaining Free Agents
The Vikings arguably need a third pass rusher behind Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner after Jonathan Greenard left the franchise via trade last month. For now, the in-house options are Bo Richter and Tyler Batty.

Atlanta Falcons defensive end Leonard Floyd celebrates after an interception during second-half action against the Buffalo Bills at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Floyd continued providing veteran pass-rush production for Atlanta during the 2025 season, and the reaction unfolded on Oct. 13, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia, during a high-energy primetime matchup against Buffalo. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images.
Even with Fowler Jr. wiped off the free agency board, Minnesota has solid EDGE alternatives in free agency:
Notably, Floyd played for the 2021 Los Angeles Rams, which won a Super Bowl with Kevin OâConnell as the offensive coordinator. Clowney is probably the most productive of the bunch.
Minnesota has about $16 million to spend on a non-Fowler Jr. EDGE rusher, though the team still has to sign its rookie draft class.