Minnesota Vikings Terminate Contract of 25-Year-Old Defender

The Minnesota Vikings have terminated the contract of 25-year-old outside linebacker Kenny Dyson, waiving him from injured reserve with an injury settlement, via the NFL transaction log.

The move ends a short stay that began in mid-August and never reached the regular season.

Dyson, born June 27, 2001, in Stamford, Connecticut, signed with Minnesota on August 17 after a tryout. The Vikings waived undrafted rookie Arden Walker to open a 90-man roster spot.

Days later, as final cuts arrived, Minnesota waived Dyson with an injury designation. He reverted to injured reserve after clearing waivers. The injury settlement now frees him to sign elsewhere and play in 2026 if healthy.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound rusher took a nontraditional path. He starred at FCS Bryant University from 2019 to 2023, finishing with 24.5 sacks and more than 30 tackles for loss across his last three seasons and earning All-Big South honors.

Undrafted in 2024, he signed with the Carolina Panthers, spent most of his rookie year on the practice squad, and appeared in two games with two tackles. Carolina waived him in May 2025.

Dyson rebuilt his stock in the UFL with the Houston Gamblers in 2026. In 10 games he posted 27 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and seven tackles for loss, drawing strong pass-rush grades.

Minnesota hoped that production would translate in Brian Flores’ scheme as depth behind Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner. In limited preseason work, he flashed, including a sack and multiple pressures against Baltimore, but an undisclosed injury and a crowded edge group ended the experiment.

Injury settlements are common after roster cuts. They typically include a modest payout and allow the player to seek a new team without waiting weeks.

For Dyson, that means another chance to prove he belongs—whether on a practice squad or in another league.

Minnesota continues to shuffle the defensive front as the regular season approaches, including other IR settlements and veteran additions. Dyson’s exit is a small transaction on paper.

For a 25-year-old still chasing a stable NFL foothold, it is another chapter in a career defined by persistence more than permanence. He remains eligible to sign immediately.