Vikings Sneak in Another Free Agent Signing

The Minnesota Vikings have now added six new defensive tackles to the 90-man roster since the start of the offseason, onboarding veteran Isaiahh Loudermilk from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday as the latest addition.

Minnesota continues to tweak the bottom of its defensive line room after earlier offseason moves changed the depth chart.

The team cut ties with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in March and hasn’t been shy about welcoming newcomers.

Loudermilk Joins a Crowded DT Battle

The Loudermilk era in the Twin Cities is here.

Loudermilk to MIN

This one is official. Vikings.com’s Lindsey Young wrote Thursday, “The Vikings are adding a veteran defensive lineman to the roster. Minnesota has signed Isaiahh Loudermilk, the team announced Thursday. Originally a fifth-round selection by Pittsburgh in the 2021 NFL Draft, Loudermilk has played 60 games (seven starts) and totaled 63 tackles, 1.0 sack and six passes defensed for the Steelers.”

“In three postseason appearances, he’s recorded six tackles. Loudermilk overlapped in Pittsburgh with Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores (2022) and Defensive Pass Game Coordinator & Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander (2022-23). Loudermilk played collegiately at Wisconsin from 2016-20.”

Loudermilk was a college teammate of Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor at Wisconsin.

The Career Biography

The Steelers pulled Loudermilk from Round 5 of the 2021 NFL Draft, two days after the Vikings picked Christian Darrisaw. He’s 6’7″ and nearly 300 pounds, posting 5.08 speed before turning pro five years ago. Loudermilk has appeared in 60 games through five seasons, starting 7 and banking 63 tackles and a sack. He suffered a high ankle sprain last September — right around the time that the same injury beset Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy — and did not play the rest of the year.

SI.com‘s Christian Borman noted on Loudermilk’s production at Wisconsin: ‘During his time in Madison, Loudermilk was a solid presence along the Badgers’ defensive line and a highly productive player. In 40 games with Wisconsin, he totaled 63 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, and nine passes defended. Loudermilk will lean on his experience to earn a spot on the Vikings team that desperately needs someone to make an impact from the defensive line position.”

The best way to think of Loudermilk is depth and insurance. He is not a starting-caliber player, or at least has shown no such inclinations in Pittsburgh.

His Pro Football Focus scorecard:

Specifically via run defense:

And the pass rush:

He’s a less productive version of Jonathan Bullard from Vikings’ seasons past. SteelersDepot‘s Ross McCorkle on Loudermilk: “Loudermilk also visited the Detroit Lions earlier in the offseason but generally didn’t seem to draw much interest around the league as a free agent. With Loudermilk gone, Pat Freiermuth is the lone member of the Steelers’ 2021 draft class left on the roster.”

“With the 2022 draft class already wiped out, Kevin Colbert’s fingerprints on the roster are rapidly fading with just five of his drafted players left on the team. Loudermilk was selected by the Steelers—who traded up for him—in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of the University of Wisconsin. He stuck around for his whole rookie contract and was brought back on a one-year deal prior to the 2025 season.”

The DT Room in Late May

Sans Allen and Hargrave, these are the Vikings’ defensive tackles nearing June:

• Jalen Redmond
• Caleb Banks
• Domonique Orange
• Levi Drake Rodriguez
• Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
• Isaiahh Loudermilk
• Eric Johnson
• Taki Taimani
• Elijah Williams
• Monkell Goodwine
• Smith Vilbert

Last year, entering Week 1, Minnesota kept six DTs on the 53-man roster. If that trend continues for Flores, Loudermilk would straddle the roster bubble in August, hoping to stave off Johnson, Taimani, and Williams for DT6.

Roster Trajectory + Upcoming FA Moves

Because of his experience, fans should tentatively expect Loudermilk to make the cut. He may be evenly matched against Johnson for the final DT spot, but Loudermilk has previous ties to Flores and Alexander. Otherwise, if Loudermilk is the odd man out, the practice squad feels like a reasonable fallback.

On other free agents, the Vikings might need an extra linebacker after trading Jonathan Greenard in April. A.J. Epenesa, Cameron Jordan, Denico Autry, Derek Barnett, Haason Reddick, Jadeveon Clowney, Joey Bosa, Kyle Van Noy, Leonard Floyd, Marcus Davenport, and Von Miller are available on the open market.

In theory, Minnesota could also add one more cornerback for depth. Last year’s CB3, Fabian Moreau, as an example, is unsigned through 2.5 months of free agency.

Loudermilk will turn 29 in October.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker