The Minnesota Vikings‘ latest roster cut didn’t make it out of the NFC North.
The Green Bay Packers claimed rookie edge defender Arden Walker off waivers on August 18, according to the NFL’s daily transaction wire. The move came one day after Minnesota waived Walker while signing outside linebacker Kenny Dyson. The Vikings confirmed Walker’s release on August 17.
That destination adds considerably more intrigue to an otherwise routine August roster move.
Green Bay isn’t merely a division rival. The Packers will visit Minnesota on September 13 in Week 1, putting Walker on the other side of the Vikings-Packers rivalry less than a month after he left Minnesota’s training camp. The teams meet again November 15 at Lambeau Field.
There is no guarantee Walker survives Green Bay’s final roster cuts, much less plays a significant role against his former team. But the Packers now get an extended look at a young pass rusher the Vikings brought into their program immediately after the 2026 NFL draft.
Vikings Moved on From Walker in Crowded OLB Room
Walker joined Minnesota as an undrafted rookie out of Colorado but faced a difficult path to a roster spot at one of the deeper positions on the Vikings defense.
Minnesota’s current outside-linebacker depth chart is headed by established veterans and young players including Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner, leaving developmental players fighting for limited spots behind them. The Vikings’ unofficial depth chart lists Van Ginkel with Bo Richter and Chaz Chambliss among the options on one side of the position group.
Minnesota chose to change the mix on August 17, signing Dyson and waiving Walker in the corresponding move.
The transaction did not necessarily amount to an indictment of Walker as a prospect. August roster churn routinely forces teams to choose among developmental players while injuries, special teams roles and preseason performance reshape the bottom of the roster.
Green Bay apparently saw enough upside to prevent Walker from reaching free agency.
Arden Walker Brings Pass-Rush Production From Colorado
Walker, 23, played three seasons at Colorado after beginning his college career at Missouri.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound defender appeared in 36 games with 15 starts for Colorado, finishing with 91 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 14 quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles, according to his Colorado biography.
That production gives the Packers a developmental edge defender with meaningful Power Four experience at little acquisition cost.
For Minnesota, the larger takeaway is where Walker ended up.
Players move between NFC North teams regularly, and Walker remains a long shot to become a central figure in the rivalry. It would be an overreach to suggest his brief time in Minnesota automatically gives Green Bay some major competitive advantage.
Still, Green Bay now has a player who spent the offseason and training camp working inside the Vikings’ defensive program, and it happened with the Packers already looming as Minnesota’s first regular-season opponent.
What looked like a minor Vikings roster move Monday became a little more interesting Tuesday.
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