A Specific Vikings Cut Candidate Would Sting a Bit More Than Others
Before it’s all said and done, there will be some Vikings cut candidates who sting a little more than others.
To my mind, backup safety Jay Ward is one who is worth watching. Yes, he’s likely to make the team — especially after the team said goodbye to a different depth safety — but he isn’t a lock. He has yet to prove capable of holding down a beefy role on defense, so the possibility exists that Minnesota opts for a different S4 by the time September hits.
Jay Ward: A Vikings Cut Candidate
The soon-to-be 25-year-old defender is going into his third season. By no means has the final chapter been written for his NFL career.
The concern for Mr. Ward rests in his play time, or lack thereof. Playing all seventeen games as a rookie, Ward hopped into just 35 snaps for Brian Flores. As an encore, Ward saw his defensive snaps drop down to 28 while getting involved in sixteen games.
The obvious retort is that Ward has been operating behind some excellent talent. Last season, all of Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, and Camryn Bynum were soaking up playing time.
When opportunity called for a different safety, it was Theo Jackson who was called upon (someone who is projected to have a breakout season). Most discouraging of all is that safety Bobby McCain — a veteran who mostly lived on the practice squad — actually earned more defensive snaps (40) in just three games played for the Vikings.
Jay Ward was thus left with scraps on defense, a few crumbs rather than a full meal alongside the safeties who were feasting.
Where Ward did have a large impact was for Matt Daniels on special teams. Ward’s rookie season involved picking up 302 snaps on specials. He saw the opportunities grow in his second season despite playing one less game. His snaps rose up to 314 for Coach Daniels.
So, an ace on special teams, someone who will likely claim a roster spot due to that ability.
Do note, however, that Minnesota has brought several players to town largely due to their special teams abilities. Tavierre Thomas and Tim Jones stand out. One then thinks of Eric Wilson, the LB3 who is going to get tasked with snaps aplenty for specials. Recent tight-end signing Giovanni Ricci is in the mix for specials work and so are the UDFAs.
Jay Ward is not only competing with safeties. Rather, he’s competing with depth corners, linebackers, receivers, tight ends, and other positions since they’re all looking to impress special teams coordinator Matt Daniels. Seeing these other players prove more capable of special teams success could lead to a shaky roster spot for Ward.
Why would a cut sting more than usual (as the title claims)? Pretty simple: Ward would be yet another failed draft pick. The 4th-Round selection went at No. 134, ahead of several talented players (receiver Puka Nacua — No. 177 — is perhaps the most notable example).
The ten-person 2022 draft class has been shrunk down to three players. The six-person 2023 draft class has been shrunk down to three players. Combined, we’re talking about just six players remaining from the sixteen scooped up in those two drafts. Moving on from Jay Ward would bring the total down to five. Worse yet, we’re not even factoring in what could happen with linebacker Brian Asamoah and running back Ty Chandler, players who are fighting their own roster battles.
One could envision a world where the Vikings move into the 2025 season with just three of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first sixteen selections still under contract. Not a great outcome, folks.
Jay Ward offers good size at 6’1″ and 188 pounds. He has been praised for his versatility and did impressive work for LSU in college. Cutting him would mean gaining $1,145,000 in cap space while seeing $163,386 left behind as dead money.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
