Fourth-Year Player Named Vikings’ X-Factor
The Minnesota Vikings reshuffled their defense this offseason, despite fielding one of the league’s top units in the 2024 campaign. Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Jalen Redmond form the new defensive line trio, and Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah join Byron Murphy Jr. in the secondary.
Fourth-Year Player Named Vikings’ X-Factor
Because Cam Bynum left, backup Theo Jackson will play a way bigger role in his fourth year with the squad.
ESPN’s Ben Solak named him Minnesota’s x-factor.
He wrote, “The 2024 Vikings’ defense starred three safeties: Cam Bynum and Harrison Smith each played more than 1,000 snaps, and Joshua Metellus was just behind with 991. Bynum was the deep middle player in Brian Flores’ chaotic defense full of coverage traps and rotations. As such, Bynum was hugely productive on the football, tallying 12 pass breakups and five interceptions over the past two seasons.”
While the defense had some weaknesses on the outside and along the defensive line, the safeties have been one of the strengths of Brian Flores’ unit. Harrison Smith is immortal, while Joshua Metellus has evolved into one of the most versatile players in the NFL. Cam Bynum took a massive step when Flores arrived in 2023 and has been a Pro Bowl-caliber player ever since.
Because he was bound to leave due to a huge pay raise, restricted free agent Jackson was re-signed to a cheap contract extension, a three-year deal worth $12.615 million, and he’ll step in.
Solak added, “Bynum left for Indianapolis on a big free agent deal, leaving Jackson to fill his shoes. Jackson has taken fewer than 200 defensive snaps combined over the previous two campaigns. But he has been lauded for his preparation in the Vikings’ building, where he was the primary backup safety for all three of Metellus, Bynum and Smith — three very different roles.”
Jackson was initially acquired during the 2022 season, shortly after Lewis Cine’s season-ending leg injury. Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah snatched him off Tennessee’s practice squad, and he hasn’t left since. Because the other guys have remained fairly healthy, there just hasn’t been much of an opportunity for him to show his worth, but in the few chances, he’s been promising.
“Flores has enjoyed having a reliable safety blanket in Bynum, who allowed him to call many of his more aggressive blitzes; if Jackson can offer the same production, expect Minnesota’s D to keep chugging,” Solak concluded.
In training camp, O’Connell said about his defender: “Really, since we acquired him, he’s always been kind of an ascending player, but just with how deep that safety room was and has been, without opportunity. But then, when coaches identified having Theo in the game in some of those three and four-safety grouping defenses over the past couple years, we’ve had some real positive things happen. And as you guys have seen him, anytime he’s around the football in the deep part of the field or getting a key to break on something underneath, if he’s around it, he’s going to make the play.”
He also got mentor Smith’s praise in the offseason, “He’s always making plays. Literally from the day he got here, I was like, ‘How did the Titans let him go?’ And that’s not to knock the Titans. He’s a good player, and sometimes the numbers just don’t work out. Sometimes guys need to get cut to play better; I’m not saying that’s this instance.”
Jackson has played in 43 career games (all with the Vikings). He has logged 47 tackles and two interceptions on 222 defensive snaps and 875 on special teams.
More from Smith: “Everything I’ve seen from Theo is he’s got a lot of ability, he’s smart, he knows how to be a pro, which I think is very important, [considering] the length of a season, all the different roles you can play and whatever role he’s plugged into, special teams, starting role on defense or a few plays here or there on defense, he comes in, he does his job at a high level, he makes plays, he’s energetic. He’s big-time in my opinion.”
It remains to be seen how the Vikings will distribute the snaps between the safeties in 2025. Because Smith’s health status is a mystery, Jackson could be asked to play a ton early in the year.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.