Sophomore Vikings Defender Has Been Impressive
Brian Flores enters his second season in charge of Minnesota’s defense. The coordinator was a longtime assistant of future Hall of Famer Bill Belichick in New England before he was appointed head coach in Miami. The Dolphins fired him after three seasons, although he guided the team to the first consecutive winning seasons in two decades.
Sophomore Vikings Defender Has Been Impressive
His defensive scheme is quite fascinating, as the 2023 Vikings led the league by a wide margin in both blitzes and three-man rushes. Simply put, teams usually send four defenders after the quarterback on most plays, but the Vikings sent either more or less than that on more than half of the snaps.
His usage of three, sometimes even four safeties on the field simultaneously is just as crucial. That resulted in career years for the players next to star veteran Harrison Smith. 2021 draft pick Camryn Bynum struggled in his first starting experience in 2022 but excelled under Flores, often as the team’s only deep safety, with Smith regularly helping in the box.
Josh Metellus shined in his first season as a major contributor on defense after years of excellent special teams play. Flores formed a defense around the best players, and Metellus was the primary beneficiary. He was utilized all over the field as a cornerback, safety, linebacker, and sometimes even on the defensive line.
Behind those three main characters, the Vikings employ a pair of rotational players, Theo Jackson and Jay Ward, and 2022 first-rounder Lewis Cine, whose future with the organization could be in jeopardy.
According to Alec Lewis from The Athletic, Ward has shown remarkable promise in recent practices.
The Vikings would not cringe if he had to play. He looked like one of the most explosive defenders on the roster this spring.
Alec Lewis, The Athletic
Considering Flores’s affinity to playing three or more safeties, envisioning Ward on the field in competitive regular season games isn’t too far-fetched. If one of Smith, Bynum, Metellus, or Jackson sustains an injury, he will climb to the fourth safety slot, giving him a shot to see the field in sets with four safeties.
During his debut season, Ward was primarily a special teams player, logging 302 snaps on special teams and 35 on defense. All but one of those 35 plays came in the final five contests of the season.
At LSU, the defensive back was a hybrid player who moved between (outside and slot) cornerback and safety. That versatility will help him earn a role in Minnesota, as Flores prefers role players who can line up in different spots. Throughout his college career, he started in 46 games and registered 164 tackles and six interceptions.
Another notable aspect is his talent for making an impact on special teams. That part of his game could give him the edge over Cine when the Vikings must trim the roster to 53 players after the preseason.
For now, Ward should be considered a player with the inside track to make the team, but he still needs to continue his growth in training camp to make it official.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt