The Vikings’ Cyborg Defender as the Embodiment of Brian Flores’ Ethos
Andrew Van Ginkel, the Vikings’ cyborg defender, could be understood as the embodiment of the Brian Flores defensive ethos.
To be sure, there are other players who exemplify Flores’ most coveted traits: intelligence, versatility, hard work, aggression. Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, Byron Murphy, and Blake Cashman (among others) stand out as some notable examples. One wonders, though, if the greatest example rests in Mr. Van Ginkel, the edge rusher who was brought into the NFL as a Miami draft pick while Flores was the head coach of the Dolphins.
The Vikings’ Cyborg Defender:
Andrew Van Ginkel Bringing Brian Flores’ Vision to Life
Maybe the latest major news surrounding Andrew Van Ginkel rests in the extension he signed.
No longer moving into his final season, Van Ginkel is employed for a pair of seasons. The original deal bringing him to town was for just $20 million across a pair of seasons. He then went bonkers in 2024, notably piling up 11.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss (which is to say nothing of his pair of interception touchdowns).
The do-it-all outside linebacker then got named to the Pro Bowl, was a second-team All Pro, and finished 7th in Defensive Player of the Year voting. So, things went well, leading to the aforementioned extension. The extra season is coming in at a beefy $23 million, a well-earned bump in pay.
Finding Vikings employees willing to send praise in the pass rusher’s direction hasn’t been difficult.
Start off with just the social media team, a group (single person?) who released a highlight video with the phrase, “This enforcer is staying in Purple.” Operating alongside him on the field is Harrison Phillips. Per the DT, Van Ginkel is “elite.” Kevin O’Connell spent some time chatting about Van Ginkel with Kay Adams, noting that he’s a “perfect fit.”
Look around and surely you’ll find more praise.
Andrew Van Ginkel, in short, is very well respected at TCO Performance Center. His on-field performance in 2024 made him well respected around the NFL, but one wonders if there’s even more excellence to come.
On July 1st — Canada Day! — Van Ginkel is going to arrive at his 30th birthday. The number is a dreaded one in the NFL, a sign that a player is usually closer to the end than the beginning of his playing career. Nevertheless, there’s still a sense that Flores could squeeze a bit more out of his outside linebacker.
Starting all seventeen games, Andrew Van Ginkel played in a career-high 922 snaps last season on defense (81%). Seeing him just match those numbers would mean that he’s playing a hearty amount, so we shouldn’t expect more playing time leading to more robust statistics.
Instead, look to the work that has been done along the front. Most notably, the help that comes through Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Does equipping Brian Flores with those pass-rushing defensive tackles allow the defensive coordinator to more fully unlock his defensive philosophy? If so, then how does that ripple throughout the rest of the roster?
A Flores defense that continues to get refined and perfected may lead to an even more productive Andrew Van Ginkel.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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