Vikings Hosted Two Players for Tryouts
The Minnesota Vikings brought in Jalan Gaines and Cade Denhoff for workout sessions on Tuesday.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Football
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The Minnesota Vikings evaluated two players during a tryout session held on Tuesday. The team examined Jalan Gaines and Cade Denhoff as potential roster additions.
Why it matters
Professional teams frequently hold tryout sessions to assess depth options and potential replacements for injured or underperforming roster members. These workouts provide front offices with updated physical and skill evaluations for players who have recently become free agents.
Cade Denhoff recorded 51 tackles, two sacks, and five tackles for loss over 47 games played at Clemson. Jalan Gaines previously signed a 3-year contract worth $2.966 million in 2025, which included $1,500 in guarantees.
The players
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team that competes in the NFC North division of the NFL.
Jalan Gaines
Jalan Gaines is an American football player who was previously associated with the Seattle Seahawks.
Cade Denhoff
Cade Denhoff is a former college football player who spent his career at Clemson.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional football franchise based in the Pacific Northwest.
The details
Jalan Gaines participated in the tryout after previous stints with the Seattle Seahawks, where he spent time on the practice squad and signed a $885,000 futures deal. Cade Denhoff attended the session following a collegiate career that spanned 47 games at Clemson.
Timeline
Jalan Gaines spent time on the Seahawks practice squad in September 2025.
The Seattle Seahawks waived Jalan Gaines at the 2025 roster deadline.
The Seattle Seahawks released Jalan Gaines in August 2026.
The Minnesota Vikings held tryouts for two linebackers on September 22, 2026.
Season Trajectory
These tryouts represent a standard mid-season effort by the Vikings to address defensive depth. Such personnel evaluations are essential for teams looking to maintain competitive balance as the long NFL season progresses toward the postseason.
Adding these players would provide the team with additional roster flexibility for practice sessions or future injury replacements. Any contract signed would need to fit within the team's remaining salary cap space for the 2026 season.
The takeaway
NFL teams frequently monitor the availability of veteran and collegiate free agents to bolster their depth charts during the season. Understanding these workout cycles helps observers anticipate potential roster movements and depth chart shifts.
Further reading
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Source note: This article includes information reported by Heavy.
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