Vikings Veteran Sees Playing Time Slip as Young DT Makes His Case for More Snaps
Vikings veteran Jerry Tillery is seeing his opportunities shrink.
In Week 11, Mr. Tillery was on the field for just 18 snaps. Crunch the numbers and that’s just 31% of the defense’s total; both numbers are a season-low for the supremely-talented defender. Meanwhile, Jalen Redmond snagged 10 snaps — 17% of the defensive total — a modest step up from recent weeks. Again, we ask: does the Vikings’ lineup have more sizzle when Redmond gets tossed onto the field?
Vikings Veteran Jerry Tillery & Young DT Jalen Redmond
Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard are savvy veterans who are in the lineup for a primary purpose: shut down the run.
True, Mr. Phillips has picked up a pair of sacks in 2024, but his calling card is his ability to be a rugged run-stuffer who regularly stands sturdy at the line of scrimmage. Bullard, meanwhile, has the kind of size that allows Brian Flores to move him around a bit and who can be similarly challenging as a run specialist. The pair work well together and they are key components of the Vikings’ highly-ranked run defense.
The third defensive tackle — either Jerry Tillery or Jalen Redmond — is supposed to be offering a bit of pass-rush sizzle.
Since taking over as the general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been trying to get this one right.
His draft in 2022 draft involved snagging 3-4 defensive end Esezi Otomewo, but the former Gopher is long gone. Ross Blacklock got added via trade but largely flopped in his second chance in the NFL. Dean Lowry was brought aboard as a free agent but couldn’t get anything going when it came to plays behind the line of scrimmage.
Step back from that history and realize that Adofo-Mensah tried three different avenues — the draft, a trade, and a free agency signing — and failed in all three approaches. What about snagging someone from the UFL?
Mr. Redmond was originally a UDFA signing by the Carolina Panthers. After failing to stick around in Carolina, Redmond ventured over to the UFL for his next opportunity. Consider the brief word from the Vikings’ website: “Signed with the UFL’s Arlington Renegades in the spring of 2024, where he appeared in four games and recorded 18 total tackles, including five for loss, and 4.5 sacks.”
So far, Jalen Redmond has been continuing to make plays behind the line of scrimmage, largely because of some excellent athleticism. His limited snaps have resulted in 4 tackles, 1 sack, 3 TFLs, and 1 QB hit. We aren’t talking about Aaron Donald, but Redmond’s build, athleticism, and production point toward someone who can help at 3T.
Jerry Tillery has had a modest season for the Vikings. Across his 301 snaps in ten games and nine starts, Tillery has 19 tackles, 0 sacks, and 1 TFL. He does, however, have 3 QB hits.
PFF leans toward Redmond. The analytics website is tossing an impressive 81.1 grade to Redmond in his limited chances. Tillery has a much more modest 60.4 grade, not disastrous but far from dominant. Shrinking things down to the most recent game offers a similar picture: Redmond stepped away from the Titans game with a healthy 73.6 grade whereas Tillery was sitting at a respectable 65.0 grade.
Moving forward, the Vikings should seriously consider giving Jalen Redmond more snaps. Yes, Jerry Tillery should be a menace as a 3-4 defensive end — few players have more talent — but the production is often lacking. Redmond has proven to be opportunistic and may have some untapped potential at one of Minnesota’s greatest roster weaknesses: the iDL.
Next up for the Vikings is a date with Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears. Getting some pressure up the middle will go a long way in pushing the Vikings up to a 9-2 record.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and PFF 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.