The Vikings’ Sneaky Signing Has Been Shining Across Two Weeks
Easy to forget, perhaps, given all of the fanfare devoted to the additions of stud defenders like Jonathan Greenard (four years and $76 million), Andrew Van Ginkel (two years and $20 million), and then Dallas Turner (No. 17 in the draft).
The Vikings’ sneaky signing at edge rusher, though, has been making a difference on Sunday.
More specifically, Jihad Ward has been helping Brian Flores’ defense. He’s the EDGE4/5 but his main role is to jump onto the field when it’s an obvious passing down. Standing at 6’5″ and weighing 285, Ward kicks inside to 3T to get penetration from the interior of the line. After all, he has basically the same build as someone like J.J. Watt (6’5″, 288), so he’s rugged enough to operate along the inside. So far, Ward has been thriving within the role that’s been assigned to him.
The Vikings’ Sneaky Signing at Edge Rusher: Jihad Ward
Brian Flores is a fan of the veteran.
Per the DC, Ward operates with some excellent energy. There’s also some good “versatility” alongside several other attributes that make him a valued teammate: “He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s competitive, [there’s] a lot to like about him.”
More recently, Kevin O’Connell spoke about the defender. The head coach begins by noting the “versatility” of all of the edge rushers before moving into a discussion of Ward: “He’s an interior rusher, he’s getting his hands on a ball as a spy player when the ball slips out of Purdy’s hands, he’s been great when we’ve asked him to set edges.”
Signed to a single-season deal for just $1,790,000, Mr. Ward is functioning as an assassin for hire. Previously, the man has been employed by the Raiders, Cowboys, Colts, Ravens, Jaguars, and Giants. Last season, he piled up a career high 5 sacks but didn’t get too far at a spot like PFF.
In 2024, the opposite has been taking place.
PFF is quite happy with what Jihad Ward has been accomplishing even though he hasn’t contributed to Minnesota’s league-leading 11 team sacks. Currently, Ward is 5th on the defense with a 74.9 grade, a very healthy number after a pair of games.
So far, he has yet to line up as a true edge rusher. Instead, Ward has been playing at 1T (11 snaps), 3T (24 snaps), and 5T (11 snaps). Having the brawn and brain to kick inside is part of what’s allowing the defense as a whole to thrive. He’s athletic enough to play games along the defensive line — looping around on stunts — while being sturdy enough to hang with rugged NFL guards.
He has been credited with 4 QB hits to go alongside his 3 QB hurries and 7 total pressures. Eventually, some of that pressure is going to get rewarded with actual sacks, but even if he keeps getting shutout he’s still making a positive difference.
Of course, the play that really stands out is his fumble recovery that looked like an interception. The ball never touched the ground but it was determined that Brock Purdy was guilty of a fumble and not an interception. Regardless, Ward is the one who snagged the football. Minnesota came very close to scoring on the ensuing drive, but Aaron Jones had the ball knocked out near the goal line.
Finding a way to make C.J. Stroud uncomfortable on Sunday will be vital to pushing the record to an unlikely 3-0. To that end, Jihad Ward has a role to play. Look for him on 3rd down when the Texans are looking like they’re going to pass the ball.
Jihad Ward is 30 years old and has been in the NFL since getting drafted at No. 44 back in 2016.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, 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, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.
