Vikings’ Defensive Line is Facing a Ton of Doubt Even as Competition and Depth Grow
Over the past little bit, I’ve been unveiling a position-by-position roster projection for the Vikings. As things flip over to defense, we begin up front with the Vikings’ defensive line.
There’s Harrison Phillips and then … quite a bit of doubt. There are a lot of players to choose from but not too many are sure things. In particular, there’s concern about whether the defensive line will be able to generate pressure on passing downs or will the burden be almost solely on the edge rushers? Who is going to be kept around to fill out the room?
The Vikings’ Defensive Line is Facing Doubt
The issue is one that’s been discussed quite a bit on PurplePTSD (Exhibit A, Exhibit B, and Exhibit C). First, though, consider the combatants:
DT/DE1: Harrison Phillips
DT/DE2: Jonathan Bullard
DT/DE3: Jerry Tillery
DT/DE4: Jaquelin Roy
DT/DE5: Jonah Williams
DT/DE6: James Lynch
DT/DE7: Levi Drake Rodriguez
DT/DE8: Tyler Manoa
DT/DE9: Taki Taimani
DT/DE10: Jalen Redmond
Mr. Phillips — affectionately known as Horrible Harry even though his off-the-field work is outstanding — is a locked-in starter and will likely have a “C” slapped onto his chest. Last year, Phillips played a career high in snaps by putting in 839 for Brian Flores. In fact, Phillips has played in and started all seventeen games across his pair of seasons in Minnesota.
The stats were impressive for Phillips. He finished his 2023 with 92 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 QB hits, 2 tackles for a loss, and 2 passes defended. Look for Harrison Phillips to be extended before Week 1.
Otherwise, maybe the surest bet to make the roster is Jonathan Bullard. The veteran has good versatility but he’s similar to Phillips without being as talented. The 6’3″, 290-pound defensive tackle is going to turn 31 in October, so he isn’t getting any younger. Expect to see him on the field a lot after he arrived at a single-season deal that’s sending over $2.25 million.
The other pair who look like strong bets to get onto the team are Jaquelin Roy — a sophomore chosen in the 5th of the 2023 NFL Draft — and Jerry Tillery — a free-agent add who hasn’t lived up to his potential as a former 1st-Round selection. If the Vikings get some pass-rush sizzle from the d-line, it will most likely be because one of these two get better in a hurry.
Recently, Tillery got some love from Marcus Dixon, Minnesota’s new defensive line coach. He’ll only turn 28 in October, so there’s still some youth left with Mr. Tillery. Flores has a knack for accentuating what his players do well, so there’s some hope that the combination of Flores’ tutelage alongside the help from the Vikings’ new DL coach can unlock the upside defensive tackle.
Meanwhile, Roy showed off some good quickness and power as a rookie. Plus, it’s worth remembering that Minnesota traded up to get him. Clearly, there’s some belief in his ability. He has upside.
In the end, the Vikings won’t be able to keep too many defensive linemen. Put me down for five players getting onto the final team: Phillips, Bullard, Roy, Tillery, and Rodriguez.
Before training camp arrives, I’ll be doing a position-by-position roster projection in an effort to understand what the final 53-man roster could look like. Once training camp and the preseason unfold, we can swing back around to the projections to see about any adjustments. Entries: Quarterback, Running Back, Tight End, Wide Receiver, and Offensive Line (Complete Offense).
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.