Kareem Jackson As The “Perfect Fit” for Vikings
K. Joudry
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The Vikings won’t be able to snag everyone on their wish list. Instead, they’ll need to patch holes with modest deals (this is where the prove-it deal can help). According to PFF, Kareem Jackson would be a perfect fit for the Minnesota Vikings.
Their recent piece partners one free agent with every team in the NFL. Take a look at their rationale for Jackson in Minnesota:
New Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has added Jackson’s previous defensive coordinator, Ed Donatell, to his staff in Minnesota. That familiarity makes the Vikings a natural landing spot for Jackson if Denver isn’t looking to bring him back.
Jackson’s ability to stick with receivers in man coverage isn’t going to improve as he pushes toward 34 years old, but he still brings a high football IQ and quality run support to the middle of a defense. He could pair with Harrison Smith for a year before Minnesota looks to get younger at the position.
Not too long ago, I wrote about some of the notable Broncos free agents. In that piece, I spent more time on Bryce Callahan. In fact, Kareem Jackson only got a brief mention toward the end as someone rumored to potentially be heading towards the Vikings.
The main rationale for focusing more on Callahan is that the Vikings really need to invest in the game’s most important positions: edge rusher, corner, and along the OL. If the season started tomorrow, the team could be reasonably confident putting Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum on the field. In my mind, then, safety is among the team’s lower priorities.
Nevertheless, the right deal for Jackson may make some sense. Anything too far above the vet minimum would seem to be misguided, though. Xavier Woods was pretty good last season, and he played every defensive snap. He’s a fair bit younger than Jackson, too. What I’m trying to suggest is that there are options, folks. Locking onto a player simply because of scheme familiarity isn’t the way to go.
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