The Vikings’ D-Line Riddle is Being Solved
The Vikings’ d-line inspired some hand-wringing coming into the season.
After all, DT1 Harrison Phillips was being brought back alongside a hodgepodge of talent that mostly consisted of solid-but-unspectacular veterans and unproven young talent. Could Brian Flores really push that crew to an above-average level? If so, how would the DC crack the code?
After a pair of weeks, the Vikings’ defense has been playing spectacularly, in no small part due to the defensive front as a whole. In other words, the team’s edge rushers — technically, outside linebackers — are helping to bridge the talent gap.
Add it all together and the Vikings are sitting at a pristine 2-0, largely due to a defense that has allowed 6 points (against the hapless Giants, but still) and then 17 points (against the supercharged 49ers). Plus, Minnesota is leading the NFL with 11 sacks. How has this been coming together?
The Vikings’ D-Line Riddle
Kevin O’Connell didn’t make a ton of sense. Or, at least, that’s how things appeared upon first glance.
The head coach spoke at the Annual League Meeting with the media. He talked about the additions to the edge rusher crew while going on to praise his defensive linemen. From within that answer, O’Connell suggested that limiting Harrison Phillips’ snaps — the team’s best defensive tackle — was a goal for the upcoming season. Could the Vikings really afford to limit their best option given the broader state of uncertainty at d-line?
The wild thing is that the reality of the 2024 season is unravelling and O’Connell’s words have proven to be prophetic.
The DT1 is down to 57% of the defense’s total snaps. Yes, he’s still a starter and still seeing a hearty workload, but it’s a clear decrease from 2023’s 74% of the total. Maybe things get pushed a bit beyond 60% by the time it’s all said and done, but the early return on the edge rusher investment has been promising.
Consider how the snaps have been divvied up among Minnesota’s defensive line across a pair of games:
| Player | Snaps |
| Phillips, Harrison | 81 (57%) |
| Tillery, Jerry | 77 (55%) |
| Bullard, Jonathan | 65 (46%) |
| Taimani, Taki | 23 (16%) |
| Williams, Jonah | 23 (33% – 1 Game) |
As a point of comparison, consider the work that’s being done by the edge rushers.
As you read the basic snaps, remember that we’re not talking about players who are lining up exclusively along the edge. Rather, these are players who are commonly being kicked inside to wrestle with interior o-linemen, especially on passing downs.
Take a look:
| Player | Snaps |
| Greenard, Jonathan | 99 (70%) |
| Van Ginkel, Andrew | 98 (70%) |
| Jones II, Patrick | 68 (48%) |
| Turner, Dallas | 54 (38%) |
| Ward, Jihad | 46 (33%) |
Again, consider how those snaps are being divvied up.
As we discussed recently, Ward is someone who is getting kicked inside a lot. Essentially, he’s functioning as a 3-4 defensive end since all of his snaps have come as a 1T, 3T, and 5T. He has the brains, strength, and athleticism to pull it off and the Vikings are benefiting accordingly.
Essentially, the Vikings are trying to maximize the defensive line by including no shortage of help from the edge rushers. Doing so allows for a more dynamic, active front, especially when the opposition is facing predictable passing downs.
Minnesota’s task involves continuing to lean on a team strength — the edge rusher depth — to shore up a shakier spot — the defensive line. As long as health cooperates, the Vikings’ d-line may end up being just fine.
Next up is the Houston Texans, a team with some excellent talent up front, as well.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and PFF helped with this piece.
Give Kevin O’Connell a Pile of Credit
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.