A Vikings Backup Snags Coach Praise, Said to See “His Role Grow”
Both of defensive coordinator Brian Flores and special teams coordinator Matt Daniels see good things in Vikings backup defender Jay Ward.
On Sunday, Mr. Ward earned his first ever start in the NFL. The safety position has largely been locked down by Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, and Theo Jackson. Ward has been shining on specials, though, and possesses many of the attributes that Minnesota’s coaching staff covets. Sensibly enough, the 25-year-old defender was given a shot to pickup some pivotal snaps in Week 11, a move that led to several positive plays.
Vikings Backup Defender Jay Ward Moving Toward a Promo
Start off with the highly-respected DC, the one who decides what takes place on defense.
Flores sees a defender who is improving, demanding more playing time accordingly: “He had a really good training camp. And there was kind of a spot there where we felt like we could get him in there and create a little disruption for us. And he did that. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if his role grows a little bit more.”
Not too long afterwards, Flores says that Ward is a “good young player” who has “matured” and who has “earned playing time.” That’s about as clear as it gets when it comes to seeing a coach foreshadow a beefier workload.
Meanwhile, Coach Daniels has been impressed with what he has seen from Jay Ward, too.
The thoughts from the special teams coordinator as it relates to making the jump from special teams to the defense. “There’s a trust level that is required and needed,” Daniels notes, “in order for you to take those next steps.” Since he proved capable of shining on specials, Ward has been able to shuffle over to what Coach Flores is doing on defense.
Daniels sees ongoing good things alongside opportunity for growth: “Jay Ward has continued to answer the bell in his third year. And a ton of plays out there that he really missed. He had the sack, the potential sack on Caleb [Williams], ended up shaking loose.” But while there’s some meat left on the bone, Coach Daniels foresees a future where Ward’s “role will continue to grow.”
Listed as a safety, Jay Ward has been tasked with shuffling around the defense (as per tradition within Minnesota’s non-traditional defense).
Within the 41 snaps at free safety, 15 snaps in the box, 8 snaps as a wide corner, 7 snaps as a slot corner, and 1 snap along the d-line, Ward has picked up a healthy 71.1 PFF grade.
The pass rush grade comes in at a dismal score of 42.3, but we’re talking about a very small sample size. And, to be sure, there was a pile to like in his blitzes in Week 11 since he came off the line explosively, cleanly getting into the backfield.
Guaranteed, Green Bay is going to think twice about not having a protection plan in place when Ward lines up at corner. Failing to do so could plausibly lead to ward Ward walloping Jordan Love.
Already, Ward is sitting on a career-high for defensive snaps, coming in at 72 for the season (alongside 201 on specials). The coming weeks should see the safety earn more time for Coach Flores, likely with the assignment of moving around to create chaos.
His 2025 season has involved 8 tackles alongside a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery.
