The Vikings opted to move on from UDFA defensive tackle Monkell Goodwine, doing so to help clear room for recent additions.
Going undrafted always meant the (now former) Vikings lineman faced an uphill battle to stick around on the final 53-man roster. Still, though, it’s peculiar to see the defender shown the door so early. After all, Goodwine demanded $257,500 in guaranteed money, per Over the Cap. Minnesota will eat that cost as added dead money.
Ex-Vikings Lineman Earned Meaty Money But Got Fired Anyhow
Firing the young defensive lineman is the byproduct of a minimum of two factors.
For starters, the competition has been ongoing. The most notable recent development involved what took place at the Vikings’ mandatory minicamp. Maybe the young lad didn’t do particularly well, failing to impress some combination of DC Brian Flores and/or DL coach Ryan Nielsen (and possibly Patrick Hill). He had to show enough to maintain his roster spot, if only in the coming months, since the in-house talent is reasonably ample.
Right now, Jalen Redmond is the locked-in DT1. Next up are Caleb Banks, Domonique Orange, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Elijah Williams. Various others are battling, as well.
Another factor is that the Vikings are rallying around a new GM.
Welcoming a new top decision maker means allowing that top decision maker to…make decisions. Nolan Teasley arrives with a ton of optimism due to what he accomplished over in Seattle. Genuinely, his is a rags-to-riches story, beginning his journey very low with the organization before ascending into being one of the main leaders.
Hearing him tell his story means learning that he reached out to the NFL’s various teams before hearing crickets. The Seahawks were rewarded for giving a bold, unheard of talent a chance.
Most notable in recent days have been Teasley’s moves to reinforce the front office talent. Some mainstays were shown the door with an opening round of hires and then another round. The new leadership adds are meant to create a vibrant decision-making ecosystem.
As for the players, Teasley has brought a pair of receivers to town, both of whom got rolling with the Seahawks before getting hired by the Vikings. He then snagged tight end Marshall Lang and defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie. Neither should be understood as roster locks (or anywhere close to that level). Rather, they’re in town to function as competition for depth jobs.
And, in fairness, there are times when even gifted talent evaluators don’t realize how good a player will become. Go ahead and consider Mr. Redmond as a great example.
Monkell Goodwine very likely attracted strong interest after the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Vikings’ willingness to kick over so much in guaranteed cash suggests as much. He’ll therefore get an opportunity somewhere else before too long.
The other talent to get shown the door was OT Caleb Etienne. He, too, will get a shot somewhere due to the promise of his youth and hulking size.
The Vikings will welcome fans to training camp on August 1st. Most will be focusing on what’s taking place at quarterback, but don’t totally overlook what’s happening in the trenches.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.