Former Vikings defensive lineman Doug Martin, the ninth overall pick in the 1980 draft, has died. He was 68.
Martin spent 10 years with the Vikings. He appeared in 126 regular-season games, with 94 starts.
In 1982, which was shortened to nine games due to a strike, Martin led the league with 11.5 sacks. He had a career-high 13 sacks in 1983.
Martin had 61.5 sacks for his career, which puts him at fourth on the team’s all-time sack list. He was on the last two Vikings teams that played outdoors, before the opening of the Metrodome in 1982.
His older brother, George, played for the Giants from 1975 through 1988.
We extend our condolences to Martin’s family, friends, and colleagues.
The Vikings opened their offseason program without safety Harrison Smith, but the door hasn’t been closed on the veteran’s return if he decides to play in 2026.
Smith wrapped up his 14th season in the final game of the 2025 campaign and said late in the year that he was unsure if he would be back for a 15th year. Smith is currently a free agent and head coach Kevin O’Connell said that he has remained in touch with the longtime cornerstone of the defense.
“It’s been a few days, but now that you remind me, I’ll probably bug him today,” O’Connell said, via the team’s website. “It’s something [where] we’re still trying to give Harrison as much space as possible, and I think he’s earned that. If it’s anything at this point, it’s seeing how he’s doing, seeing how his family is, seeing how his golf game is.”
Josh Metellus, Jay Ward, Tavierre Thomas, Theo Jackson, and Kahlef Hailassie are the current safeties on the Vikings roster.
At the end of the 2025 season, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was asked about quarterback J.J. McCarthy and said that he “would love to work with him and show everybody that he is that No. 1 guy” but that picture looked a little different when the team started their offseason program on Monday.
The Vikings signed Kyler Murray after the Cardinals released him and that makes McCarthy’s path back to the starting lineup a more difficult one over the coming months. Jefferson said on Monday that he has spent time working with McCarthy since the end of last season and finds the quarterback “a lot more confident” than he was a year ago, but also said he’s enthused about Murray’s ability to make “big, exciting plays” in the offense.
That ability could push McCarthy out of the No. 1 job, but Jefferson outlined why the situation can ultimately be a positive for the quarterback.
“I’m definitely looking forward to [Murray’s] speed, his quickness, his arm strength that he’s shown countless times over the years,” Jefferson said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. “And then for J.J., for somebody to enter that room with that type of ability, that type of talent, he’s got to step it up a little bit. So it’s good for him to feel that type of pressure and to really lock in a little bit and say, ‘It’s either now or I’m going to take that back seat again.’ So it’s all a competitive mindset when it comes to these type of things. So it’s all about who’s ready for that moment and who’s ready to step up and take that initiative.”
There’s a lot to play out before the Vikings name their quarterback for Week 1, but there’s little doubt that McCarthy will have to raise his level of play to remain part of the team’s long-term plans.
Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard’s future with the Vikings has been a topic of conversation throughout the offseason and it remained one on the first day of the team’s voluntary workout program.
A report on Monday morning indicated that the Eagles and Vikings have discussed a trade involving Greenard since it became known that the Vikings were open to discussing a deal involving the veteran. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said last month that he expects Greenard to be with the team for the 2026 season, but confirmed at a Monday press conference that Greenard did not take part in Monday’s work.
While Greenard is not there, executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski said that nothing has changed about the team’s expectations for his role.
“JG’s a great player,” Brzezinski said. “I expect JG to be here. There’s all this speculation, there’s been speculation. . . . We’re really happy he’s a part of our team.”
Plans can change with the right trade offer and we’ll see if anything changes about Greenard’s status in Minnesota as the draft unfolds this week.
When it comes to the Eagles and trades, there’s been a heavy recent focus on receiver A.J. Brown.
But Philadelphia also has had interest in adding an edge rusher.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Eagles and Vikings have engaged in trade talks about defensive end Jonathan Greenard multiple times during the offseason.
Minnesota is seeking a “premium Day 2 pick” in exchange for Greenard, Schefter reports. The Eagles currently hold No. 54 overall in the second round, plus No. 68 and No. 98 in the third round.
Philadelphia’s interest in adding an edge rusher, however, goes beyond Greenard, according to Schefter.
Greenard, 28, has spent the last two seasons with the Vikings. He was a Pro Bowler for the first time in 2024, recording 12.0 sacks with 18 tackles for loss and 22 quarterback hits. In 2025, he was limited to 12 games with 10 starts, recording 3.0 sacks, 10 TFLs, and 12 QB hits along with three passes defensed with one forced fumble.
