Versatile Vikings Defender Thinks He’s a Defensive Back
Minnesota’s defense underwent a crazy transformation in the first year of Brian Flores calling the shots. They turned from a reactive defense under Ed Donatell to a proactive unit, blitzing on every other play while also dropping eight players back into coverage more often than any other team. The unusual scheme has led to some emerging stars.
Versatile Vikings Defender Thinks He’s a Defensive Back
Despite the camp buzz a year ago, only a few people could’ve predicted the standout performance of undrafted rookie Ivan Pace in his first season in the league. He starred as a pass-rusher from the second level, but he also handled the remaining linebacker tasks well.
Safety Camryn Bynum had a wonderful breakout year next to Harrison Smith after a shaky 2022 season.
A mix of both players is defender Josh Metellus, who had been titled safety before Flores walked through the door, but in the last 12 months, he has been labeled a bunch of different things. The reason for that is pretty obvious: he is lining up all over the field.
After Monday’s practice, he was asked what he should be called, he said he still views himself as a defensive back, although he expects his role to change from week to week.
I’d say you could call me safety because that’s what’s on the roster. We don’t even know what to change it to. I’m a DB at heart; that’s what I like to be called. I like to get up on third down, do a DB celebration, that’s where my heart goes. But I mean, I move around a lot, so you could just say I play defense. I would say I play DB, linebacker, nickel, D-line, whatever you want to call. I’m just out there trying to help the team win.
Josh Metellus
He added that “it is really based on what the offense does.”
It might be unclear where exactly Metellus is lining up, but one thing has been established. The man is on the field whenever the defense is on the field. After three years of backup duties and special teams mastery, he has proven that he is one of the most valuable players in the Twin Cities.
Last season, Metellus played on 1,065 defensive plays (94.16%), ranking him third on the team behind only fellow safeties Smith and Bynum. He racked up 116 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one interception, and a league-high four forced fumbles in those plays. Metellus also logged 194 special teams plays. Among the regular contributors on defense, only Pace had more.
PFF tracked his snaps:
- slot cornerback: 396
- box: 377
- defensive line: 206
- free safety: 55
- outside cornerback: 29
Only a small portion of his reps came as a real safety, but it should be noted that safeties often line up in the slot and the box, of course.
Another positive element of his development is that he has become a real leader on the defensive side. He earned the captain badge late in the 2022 season and was voted team captain in 2023.
Flores is a mad scientist when it comes to assembling gameplans and defensive plays and having a guy who can literally move around all over the place allows him to fully unlock his creativity.
Once again, Metellus will be asked to do various jobs as a staple in Minnesota’s defense.
The 26-year-old is under contract for two more seasons, but another extension should be expected in the 2025 offseason.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus 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