Kevin O’Connell Identifies a Sneaky Important Defensive Lineman
K. Joudry
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While reflecting on the James Lynch injury news, Kevin O’Connell pinpointed a depth defensive lineman capable of filling the gap.
Veteran journeyman Jonathan Bullard is that player, someone who earns the praise and admiration of the head coach. “We got a veteran in Bullard,” O’Connell notes, “who is always so rock-solid for us.” The coach goes on to note that Lynch is “versatile” and that’s part of his value, so the team is now looking for someone to “fill that particular role.”
Elsewhere in his response, O’Connell mentions sophomore Esezi Otomewo and rookie Jaquelin Roy. Praising the young fellas isn’t altogether surprising; after all, the Vikings are in the midst of a competitive rebuild, so youth is to be valued. Bullard, though, stands out for a different reason.
Last year, the defensive lineman joined the Vikings on a humble 1-year deal, pulling in just a bit beyond $1 million. More recently, Bullard signed a contract that will pay him a touch above $1.3 million, a slight raise that speaks to how Minnesota values what he brings to the table. The guarantees, however, are minimal, with just $50,000 staying on the cap if he ends up being cut.
Is Jonathan Bullard going to be on the final roster?
Kevin O’Connell, Jonathan Bullard, & The Quest for Better Defense
In the end, the young players are going to be given priority.
Yes, if the final cut comes down to Bullard or Otomewo, the Vikings will almost certainly lean toward the youngster. The sophomore defensive lineman has the capacity to offer strong play for years to come. Bullard, in contrast, is going to be 30 in October. He has already been with Chicago, Arizona, Seattle, and Atlanta before ending up in Minnesota.
The comments from O’Connell are revealing, though.
Minnesota’s head coach values a player capable of moving all over the defensive line. At 6’3″, 290, Bullard has the size to play the hybrid DT/DE role that’s so characteristic of a 3-4 defense, especially in the modern NFL. Quite often, the defense will only have a pair of defensive lineman on the field, so whoever is in there will need to be rugged enough to handle playing along the interior of the d-line.
In a more traditional defense, Bullard could kick out to play 5-technique. His build and athleticism (he ran a 4.93 forty) allow for that kind of flexibility in his deployment.
Bullard played in 12 games for the Vikings last season, starting 7. In that time, he had 23 tackles, 5 TFLs, and a QB hit. PFF gave him a 57.3 grade (76th out of 127 DTs), a reflection of where he’s at in his career. Think of him as being similar to Dean Lowry but with less pass-rush sizzle.
A 3rd-round selection in 2016, Bullard is in town to stabilize the floor, not raise the ceiling. Otomewo and Roy — the young fellas coming in at 24 and 22 — are the ones who offer a higher ceiling.
The veteran DT may still have what it takes to get onto the final roster, though, especially since Lynch won’t be available in 2023. Impressing the head coach is always a good way to go when it comes to maintaining employment in the NFL.
Brian Flores is being tasked with halting a troubling trend. For three straight seasons, the Vikings have offered a terrible defense. Last year’s Vikings were particularly discouraging since they routinely played such passive, uninspired defense. Getting torched by Daniel Jones and the Giants in the opening round of the playoffs was entirely predictable and yet still so disappointing for many Vikings fans.
If he proves that he can help Minnesota to avoid a similar fate, Jonathan Bullard will get a spot on the roster.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
