Vikings Defender Demands More Respect
The 2023 Vikings finished with a disappointing 7-10 record, but the season still featured some exciting storylines. Joshua Dobbs and his short-lived heroics were just as fun to watch as Ivan Pace’s emergence as a three-down linebacker. Jordan Addison didn’t take long to establish himself as a solid wingman for Justin Jefferson.
Vikings Defender Demands More Respect
Another fascinating element was Brian Flores and his exotic defensive scheme. The coordinator sent blitzes and three-man rushes at a historical rate. His unorthodox game plans helped one gentleman star in 2023: Josh Metellus.
The safety had been a good backup and a special teams ace before Flores arrived, but his role exploded with the coach in the building. His idea of putting his best players on the field regardless of positions allowed Metellus to play next to fellow safeties Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum.
His versatile role on defense drew some attention, but apparently not nearly enough. ESPN released its annual safety rankings and Metellus was not included in the top ten, which might be reasonable. However, he wasn’t an honorable mention nor listed as “others received votes.” ESPN named 26 safeties, but Metellus was not among them.
The Viking voiced his frustration on X:
Metellus appeared in all 17 contests, logging 1,065 defensive snaps (94% of the possible defensive snaps). He added 194 on special teams, continuing to excel in that phase.
He produced the first 2.5 sacks of his career, 116 tackles, and one interception. Metellus also forced four fumbles.
All of those numbers were excellent and put him on the radar. But it displays his value only to some extent. The safety can line up all over the field. His resume shows snaps as a defensive lineman, linebacker, edge rusher, slot cornerback, and outside cornerback. Flores can be creative with his defense partly because Metellus is such a versatile player. When a fan told him that the versatility is what makes him great, he didn’t accept the flowers.
Still, his performance earned him the status as a Pro Bowl alternative and he received on All-Pro vote.
With Flores staying put this offseason, he will continue to be a prominent player on defense. There is a chance that he is slowly taking over some reps from Smith. The 35-year-old might benefit from some extra plays off. Regardless, the Vikings have one of the elite safety groups in the NFL.
Bynum and Smith also didn’t get any votes for ESPN’s list, which is quite surprising. Bynum’s 2023 was a breakout season as he led the team in tackles. Smith is no longer in his prime, but he is still an effective player. Just last season, the argument can be made that he single-handedly won the contest against the Carolina Panthers.
Metellus, 26, is a team captain and remains under contract for two more seasons.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap 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