The Vikings News: 3 Quick Updates During the Bye

The Vikings news never fully stops. Lately, the effort here has been to corral some of what got missed in a Friday morning piece.

So far, Vikings Territory has considered the rumors around Jauan Jennings, the J.J. McCarthy opportunity to play in New York, and a former player being done for the remainder of 2026. So, too, has there been a consideration of the players brought in for a workout alongside the poached practice squad talent (among plenty of other pieces). Check some of the Vikings news to be missed.

Vikings News: 10.16.2026

No. 1 — CB Byron Murphy Jr. the NFC DPOW

The NFL took notice of Mr. Murphy’s pair of interceptions. He’s the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week:

Sometimes, the assessments of Murphy’s game fail to account for the impact he has on the players around him. Everyone knows he’s versatile but not everyone appreciates how that makes life easier for guys like Isaiah Rodgers and James Pierre. Since Murphy can move around so much, Rodgers and Pierre can remain in spots where they’re more comfortable and competent.

Byron Murphy is far from perfect and not an elite CB1. He’s a good player, though, who plays a key role in allowing the defense to shine.

No. 2 — Vikings Go Jumbo with a Young Lad

Losing Josh Oliver to injury created a problem: not having the blocking bully at tight end.

A solution, perhaps, can be (partially) found in the 3rd-Round offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan. He wasn’t active from Week 1-3 but did get into action in Week 4 and Week 5. He did so as a jumbo tight end, packing some size and muscle onto the end of the line.

PFF clarifies that the 6’7″, 325-pound lineman has soaked up 8 snaps as a jumbo tight end and 3 snaps along the offensive line.

If the team gets really frisky with a trick play, then tossing a pass to Tiernan could be the way to go if the large lad has some silky mitts.

No. 3 — Edge Rusher Kyle Van Noy Picked Up a Payday

At first, Kyle Van Noy was playing on the practice squad. Doing so meant playing for modest money. He then played well within his three elevations, leading to a spot on the 53-man roster.

Getting the veteran to the active roster involved sending over a deal that’s above the minimum. Per Over the Cap, Van Noy is operating on a deal sitting at $2,750,000. That’s not a monstrous amount by any means (at least not in the context of NFL finances). It is, nevertheless, a decent payday for a 35-year-old depth pass rusher.

Both sides appear happy with the arrangement. Minnesota, in particular, has done tremendously well here. There are a lot of NFL edge rushers making a lot more than Van Noy who aren’t as good as the Vikings’ EDGE3.