Unsung Vikings Defender Stood Out on Tuesday
The defensive unit has seen many changes in the last five months. Most notably, Danielle Hunter signed with the Houston Texans. His disruptive presence will be missed on Minnesota’s defensive front. Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, the two top free-agent additions, will try to replace him. Rookie Dallas Turner could support the duo early in his career.
Unsung Vikings Defender Stood Out on Tuesday
If those guys can play up to their expectations, the edges of the defense are set. The problems will be on the inside, as the talent level doesn’t provide the same confidence.
Everyone expected the Vikings to be big players for a top defensive tackle in free agency, but they couldn’t lure one of them to Minnesota. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah preferred to acquire pass rusher Turner in the draft over a defensive tackle option, so the interior crew consists of some below-average players next to starter Harrison Phillips.
The good news is that Phillips might be one of the most underrated defenders on the team. He is entering his third season in purple after spending the first four campaigns of his career in Buffalo.
On Tuesday, the defender was reportedly looking pretty good. Will Ragatz (Si.com) documented:
Even on a day with no pads, Harrison Phillips stood out in the middle of the Vikings’ defense. He blew up a run play on the very first rep of the practice, then later took Garrett Bradbury to the grass and got a little chippy with Minnesota’s starting center.
Will Ragatz
It is hard for linemen to stand out on a day without pads, as the contact is somewhat limited. The Vikings wore pads on Monday and will return to pads on Wednesday but returned to shells on Tuesday.
Phillips blowing up run plays isn’t too shocking because that is his deal. He is a pure run-stuffer, and he is wonderful at that. His problem is that his arsenal of pass-rush talent is fairly limited. Regardless, the Vikings pay him to defend the run, and he is a big reason why the defense was moderately good against the run in the past two seasons.
According to DVOA, the team ranked 13th against the run in 2023, and the Vikes allowed only 3.8 yards per carry, ranking the team in the top five league-wide.
In his two seasons with the Vikings, Phillips recorded 151 tackles, 12 QB hits and 4.5 sacks. He played in all 34 contests. His 92 tackles in 2023 easily set a new career high, and his three sacks and the 839 snaps also eclipsed previous marks.
Phillips signed a three-year contract worth $19.5 million, which is a fairly cheap deal. Now that he is in the final year of that contract, an extension could be looming either this offseason or after the year.
In the upcoming season, he will once again be the team’s top lineman. His support must come from a rotation of various players until one of them can emerge as a true wingman. Jerry Tillery and Jonah Williams are the two veteran acquisitions, and Jonathan Bullard returns from last year. Tillery should be the best pass-rushing option.
Two young guys who could make a splash are 2023 fifth-rounder Jaquelin Roy and 2024 seventh-rounder Levi Drake Rodriguez.
Just as significant as his on-field contributions is his locker-room presence as a vocal leader, and undoubtedly even more important is his work outside of football. Phillips was Minnesota’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for his work with his foundation, Harrison’s Playmakers. The foundation is “committed to coaching and mentoring children facing social, physical, and economic challenges.”
Phillips, 28, will once again be asked to carry the load in the middle of the defensive line, and he will surely continue to make a difference off the field.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over The Cap, FTN Fantasy, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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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