Andrew Van Ginkel, Vikings Agree to $23M Contract Extension After Pro Bowl Season

Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel earned a raise after last season's Pro Bowl campaign for the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings and Ginkel have agreed to a one-year, $23 million extension with $22.4 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Van Ginkel joined the Vikings last spring after five seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He recorded 11.5 sacks and 63 tackles while returning two interceptions for touchdowns in his breakout 2024 campaign.

He signed a two-year, $20 million contract to join the Vikings ahead of the 2024 season and was set to cost $12.4 million against the cap next season, according to Spotrac.

According to Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star-Tribune, Van Ginkel's agent spent "quite a bit of time" with Vikings ownership during the NFL owners meetings in March.

Goessling also predicts that the extension will lower Van Ginkel's cap hit for the 2025 season.

The Vikings now have two key pieces of their defense signed past this season with linebacker Jonathan Greenard inked through 2027, although he has a potential out in his contract after the 2025 campaign.

Acquiring Van Ginkel and Greenard last offseason was a key part of the reason the Vikings defense limited teams to just 93 rushing yards per game during a 14-3 campaign.

The linebackers played 81 percent of the Vikings' defensive snaps through 17 regular-season games, according to Vikings.com's Rob Kleifield. Both Van Ginkel and Greenard were ranked among the top 20 edge-rushers in the NFL in ESPN's pass rush win rate rankings.

With their linebackers locked up, the Vikings may now consider extensions for other players currently set to play next season on expiring contracts, including safety Josh Metellus and tight end Josh Oliver.