The Vikings’ Under-the-Radar Extension Candidate
Not too long ago, the Vikings’ under-the-radar extension candidate was safety Josh Metellus.
The late-round defender out of Michigan was mostly a special teams option. Occasionally, Mr. Metellus did promising things on defense, but those moments were few and far between. Minnesota nevertheless saw upside, investing in that upside with a two-year deal worth a total of $8 million. The contract became a bargain in short order.
Will something similar occur with backup safety Jay Ward?
The long and physical defensive back possesses the coveted versatility that Minnesota’s coaching staff so commonly uplifts. He’s a hard-hitting player (sometimes with controversy) who helps on specials and increasingly on defense. Seeing the Vikings opt to get ahead of his pending breakout with a medium-sized contract feels about right for how the team has chosen to operate in recent years.
Safety Jay Ward
The Vikings’ Under-the-Radar Extension Candidate
After a player’s third season, there can be an extension. So, Mr. Ward is stepping into a potentially lucrative future for the first time.
He was drafted in the 4th Round of the 2023 NFL Draft, a group of talent that has been decimated. Originally, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah snagged six players in the event. Four of those players — CB Mekhi Blackmon, DT Jaquelin Roy, QB Jaren Hall, and RB DeWayne McBride — are all long gone. Only WR Jordan Addison alongside DB Ward remain.
Take a quick look under the hood to see how he has been deployed.
The 2025 season has seen Jay Ward pickup a pair of starts within fourteen games. There have been 120 defensive snaps alongside 270 special teams snaps. The stats show 10 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 fumble recovered.
Per PFF, Ward has put in 45 snaps at free safety. There has then been 24 snaps as a wide corner, 24 snaps in the box, 22 snaps as a slot corner, and 5 snaps along the d-line. Ward is proving to be the ultra versatile safety whom Brian Flores covets.
The cherry on top is that he’s a capable blitzer. Oftentimes, being effective while blitzing means nailing the timing. To that end, Ward has demonstrated promise in limited chances. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores seems likely to send him a time or two before the 2025 NFL season ends.
Jay Ward, an ascending player, is only going to grow more expensive if he fulfills his potential. Might Minnesota look to get ahead of the sticks?
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has never extended a player whom he has drafted. The closest he has come has been to keep a player such as punter Ryan Wright around, an undrafted talent who get picked up following the 2022 NFL Draft. The further things go — being a GM for just four years is a modest timeline — the more concerning the lack of extended picks becomes.
Extending Jay Ward offers the benefit of (potentially) getting great value for a player who is soon to become a difference maker on defense. The same strategy was pursued with Metellus, Blake Brandel, and Theo Jackson (with mixed results).
Jay Ward, a sneaky extension candidate, will get a chance to show what he’s capable of doing in the coming weeks, starting off with a Week 16 Giants game. He is 25.
