ESPN Names Vikings’ Under-The-Radar Move
The Vikings entered the offseason with some uncertainty, considering their long list of impending free agents, including Pro Bowl QB Sam Darnold and some key defenders like Byron Murphy Jr. and Cam Bynum. Still, following the first two weeks of free agency, the roster looks just fine and competitive for the upcoming season.
ESPN Names Vikings’ Under-The-Radar Move
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah re-signed Aaron Jones and Murphy Jr. and, most prominently, added offensive linemen Will Fries and Ryan Kelly, as well as defenders Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen.
Undoubtedly, those moves have the potential to make a huge difference, and the executive pretty much got universally praised for luring them to the Twin Cities.
Besides those significant actions, some smaller ones also deserve credit, too. ESPN named keeping Theo Jackson in town Minnesota’s top under-the-radar move.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert explained, “Realizing they were going to lose incumbent starter Camryn Bynum in free agency, the Vikings got his understudy signed and locked down for the next three years. Jackson has been impressive in the past two training camps and in his limited defensive snaps. In exchange for a reasonable deal worth a little more than $9 million, the Vikings secured a replacement for Bynum who has given them every reason to believe he will be an effective starter.”
Indeed, a month ago, the Vikings safety room consisted of versatile defender Joshua Metellus and third-year special teamer Jay Ward. Harrison Smith contemplated retirement, Bynum was about to become an unrestricted free agent, and, well, Jackson, the top reserve in the last two years, was set to be a restricted free agent.
Instead of playing the tender game, Adofo-Mensah handed him a new contract running through 2027.
Jackson has earned some compliments in the last two training camps, and when the team needed him to step up on Sundays, he usually did just that. He arrived in October of 2022. Following Lewis Cine’s devastating injury, the Vikings needed a new safety and found Jackson on Tennessee’s practice squad. The Tennessee-born Jackson also spent his college career with the University of Tennessee.
Ever since the Vikings snatched him, he has been a key backup for the purple team. Jackson has played in 43 games in three seasons with the purple team, registering a pair of interceptions as well as 47 tackles.
In his rookie season, Jackson appeared in 11 games with the Vikings, primarily as a special teams player. He logged 18 snaps on defense and 275 on special teams.
After Flores was hired, Jackson continued to show promise, and he made the team in 2023, this time playing 126 snaps in Flores’ safety rotation. He, once again, played a vital role on special teams. The coordinator is a big fan of versatile defenders, and Jackson checks that box. Similarly to Metellus, he played all over the field in his limited snaps, lining up as a true safety, a linebacker, in the slot, or as an outside cornerback.
In 2024, he again played a limited role, logging 78 snaps on defense and 340 on special teams. With Bynum out of the picture and no other safety being hired to replace him, Jackson has a real chance to play a meaningful role.
It still remains to be seen whether he can compete for a starting job, and the franchise could still sign someone or select a safety in the draft, but for now, Jackson should be considered the third safety on the depth chart behind Smith and Metellus. The defender’s versatility opens the door for the 26-year-old to play more than just a rotational role.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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