Minnesota Vikings 11 Best Defenders

The quarterback situation of the Minnesota Vikings is getting the bulk of the offseason attention. That’s hardly a surprise as there’s loads of intrigue at the position. The departure of Kirk Cousins, the signing of Sam Darnold, the drafting of J.J. McCarthy, the coaching of Kevin O’Connell and Josh McCown, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall. There’s a lot of intriguing, moving pieces in the Vikings quarterback room and on the field. Hidden in the long shadow of the happenings of the quarterbacks is a defense being crafted by coordinator Brian Flores and his coaches. We saw hints of that defense last season. The Vikings defense was terrible with Ed Donatell guiding it in 2022. Under Flores, that same modestly talented defense was mostly decent last season. There was even a stretch, before injuries started eliminating players, during which the Vikings defense approached being dominant. It was startling to see Flores get competent play out of a defense that was no where near competent only a year before. Imagine what he could do with even a peppering of more talent. Well, he now has more talent. He also has a bunch of players that played in his defense last season. The Vikings defense is going to be a lot of fun this season. These days, football is all about the quarterback. While Darnold, McCarthy, and the quarterbacks will be the headline story in Minnesota, the Vikings defense might be the more intriguing story. 

If the first season under Flores showed us anything, he likes a position-less defense and position-less players. There will always be roles and landmarks for football defenders. I believe that Flores sees a defense filled with non-traditional players filling the traditional roles and hitting the traditional landmarks. I’ve spent my entire football life favoring the good ol’ 4-3. End, 3-technique, nose tackle, end fronting three linebackers: weak-side, middle, strong-side. Each player had the traditional build that fit their traditional roles. Behind those seven players were four defensive backs: corner, free safety, strong safety, corner. A third corner replaced one of the linebackers in passing situations. In today’s NFL, that was about 66% of the snaps. Traditional players in traditional roles. It was easy. It was easy to follow and easy to see. Flores is complicating things and I love it. A position-less defense. 

There will, of course, be game situations, dictated by down-and-distance and offensive personnel, that will put particular players on the field. Still, I’m expecting Flores will often put his 11 best defensive football players on the field. Their traditional positions will not matter. With that in mind, who are the Vikings 11 best defenders? Here’s my shot at answering that question. Front to back.

Harrison Phillips

Jonathan Greenard

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Ivan Pace Jr.

Blake Cashman

Byron Murphy Jr.

Khyree Jackson

Harrison Smith

Camryn Bynum

Josh Metellus

By traditional positions, that’s one defensive lineman, five linebackers, two corners, and three safeties. Including fourth-round corner Khyree Jackson might be a bit early but I have a real good feeling about his rookie season. It’s far more likely that second-year Mekhi Blackmon pairs with Byron Murphy Jr. at corner in most iterations of the Vikings defense. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Murphy, Blackmon, and Jackson are on the field for any defensive package that includes three corners. 

The two players that truly mark the position-less nature of the Vikings potential defense are Andrew Van Ginkel and rookie Dallas Turner. By listed position, both are outside linebackers, edge rushers. By play, they may be in coverage nearly as often as they rush the quarterback. Van Ginkel has shown his position-less versatility since he entered the league in 2019. Flores coached him from 2019-21 so he knows well the player and his multiple skills. While Turner is a complete unknown as an NFL player he might be the most athletic defensive football player the Vikings have ever drafted. A 4.46 40 and 40 inch vertical are just freakish physical attributes. At Alabama, he wasn’t just a freakish athlete playing football. He was a freakishly athletic football player. I can not wait to see him on the field. The anticipation is greater than any previous drafted defensive player and rivals that of drafted offensive players like Randy Moss, Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, and Justin Jefferson. 

I can envision a defense with Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Greenard and Van Ginkel/Turner on the line. Either one of inside linebackers Ivan Pace Jr. and Blake Cashman filling a gap, threatening a rush. A wide variety of five defensive backs in coverage. With whichever of Van Ginkel/Turner that isn’t rushing supplementing the coverage. Hell, Flores might drop both of the versatile outside linebackers and send one, or more, of the defensive backs at the quarterback. Who knows? I don’t. I can only dream about the possibilities. 

If nothing else, the Minnesota Vikings defense will be fun. It might have been lacking a bit in talent last season. Flores made the best of it. Greenard, Van Ginkel, Turner, and Jackson top the talent that was added this offseason. There’s also a couple wildcard additions in defensive tackle Jerry Tillery and corner Shaq Griffin. As a former first round pick, Tillery is a particular curiosity for me. If he finally plays to the talent that got him drafted in the first round, Flores has a strong piece on the defensive front. That’s the area of the defense that’s most lacking in talent at this point in the process. 

Quarterback isn’t the only interesting story in Minnesota.