Vikings DC Envisions Multiple Roles for Newest Linebacker Additions
Josh Frey
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Versatility proved to be a key factor in terms of the success of the 2023 Vikings defense.
Brian Flores loved the idea of utilizing players in different roles, and it allowed names like Josh Metellus to emerge as key pieces. This year, the theme seems to be sticking around, and the Vikings DC has plenty of roles envisioned for his newest additions at the linebacker position.
Vikings DC Envisions Multiple Roles for Newest Linebackers
With the departures of Jordan Hicks and Troy Dye along with nearly the entire group at the outside linebacker spot, Minnesota desperately needed to find some new help at both positions this spring.
They did precisely that, and one of the signings was a player that Flores actually drafted during his time with the Miami Dolphins: Andrew Van Ginkel. While Van Ginkel is labeled as an outside linebacker and known for rushing the passer, that has been far from his only duty in Miami.
Van Ginkel is regularly asked to step back into coverage (actually played 56 snaps as a slot corner during the 2023 season) and plays a major factor in stopping the run. Flores said of Van Ginkel and his ability to take on multiple defensive roles,
“I think he’s got very good football intelligence. He’s got very good athletic ability. […] Those are the top two traits for him that allow him to be the versatile player that he is, and I think he has the potential to be a chess piece for us that we use possibly similar to like Metellus.”
In terms of versatility, it doesn’t get much better than Metellus during the 2023 season. The Vikings “safety” played 396 snaps in the slot, 377 snaps in the box, 206 snaps on the defensive line, 55 snaps as a free safety, and 29 snaps as an outside cornerback last season.
Meanwhile, the man who seems destined to replace Hicks in the Vikings’ defense also could bring multiple roles to the table for the Vikings this year. That player is of course, Blake Cashman, a Minnesota native, who spent the past two seasons with the Houston Texans.
“[Cashman’s] another smart player who we’re gonna ask to do multiple roles and move around a bit,” Flores said.
To this point in his career, Cashman has largely been a prototypical coverage linebacker who also fills in a role as a run supporter. After spending the majority of his first four seasons in a reserve role, he broke onto the scene in DeMeco Ryans’ defense with the Texans last season.
It remains to be seen exactly how Flores envisions using these new players in his defense, but to be sure, they will be asked to perform more than one task on a weekly basis. It should be a very fun product to watch in a few months.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Focus.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.