Give All the Snaps to 1 Defender
The Minnesota Vikings’ defense has been coming into their own in the 2024 season. Coordinated by Brian Flores, his group usually brings pressure via blitzes, and confusing the opposing quarterbacks is another staple. The key to everything else, the most basic element every coordinator wants to see from his team, is the run defense, which is elite in the Twin Cities.
Give All the Snaps to 1 Defender
Harrison Phillips is the top guy on the defensive line. He is flanked by veteran journeymen Jerry Tillery and Jonathan Bullard, who aren’t stars but do a decent job if their cheap deals are taken into account.
But, out of nowhere, a new star is emerging. Last year’s undrafted defensive lineman, Jalen Redmond, has recently gotten more snaps, and he has been excellent whenever touching the field.
The defensive line is pretty much healthy besides undrafted rookie Taki Taimani, who played a role earlier in the season. He landed on IR five weeks ago, opening some playing time for Redmond.
But he has not just taken Taimani’s spot; he is actively keeping the veteran teammates off the field after earning the trust of the coaching staff. His previous career high in snaps in a single-game was 17. On Sunday, however, he logged 39 defensive plays.
The remarkable aspect is that he is not just getting more reps as a placeholder but is an actual difference-maker on Flores’ defensive line. Redmond has been active in ten games, recording a sack, six tackles for loss, and 13 total tackles. He also deflected a couple of Kirk Cousins’ passes on Sunday.
In Week 14, Redmond also registered the first start of his career, replacing Tillery in the lineup. And it’s easy to see why his role is expanding. While the trio of veterans is solid, they aren’t real playmakers in the trenches, and Redmond seems to have that ability. He quickly reads plays and often finds a way to be close to the ball.
Having six tackles for loss and a sack on only 134 defensive snaps is impressive. PFF lists him as Minnesota’s top defender, with an outstanding grade of 84.8. While he is not eligible for the company’s position rankings, he would be fifth among all defensive tackles if he was. In addition to that, he has the league’s top run-defensive grade at his position.
There’s no doubt about it: the disruptive lineman deserves as many snaps as he can handle. He is a playmaker, and the Vikings have been trying to find one for years. At the age of 25, there’s a chance he could be a long-term solution for the club.
Redmond joined the Vikings in the 2024 offseason. He went undrafted last year and spent some time with the Carolina Panthers, and then he showed flashes of excellence in the UFL.
His next chance to prove the coaching staff right will come on Monday when the Vikings host the Bears for a divisional showdown.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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