Vikings Defender Exploded After a Position Change
On Saturday, the Minnesota Vikings finally returned to U.S. Bank Stadium. It was the team’s first win (not that it matters) of the (pre-) season, as the final scoreboard showed 20-10 in favor of Minnesota. Some players had a big day.
Vikings Defender Exploded After a Position Change
Among those were running back Zavier Scott on offense and Gabriel Murphy on defense. But one guy stole the show. Kahlef Hailassie, a 24-year-old defensive back out of Western Kentucky, secured not just one but two interceptions.
The fascinating aspect? Hailassie was a cornerback coming into the league in 2023, and he played that position in each of the last two years in the preseason and in his 105 snaps of experience in the league. The Vikings, however, sent him onto the field as a safety. In that role, he showed great instincts and picked off overwhelmed Texans quarterback Graham Mertz twice.
After the game, head coach Kevin O’Connell was asked about his defender and said about the position change: “It really just jumped out to us with … whether it’s Josh working through what he’s working through with his foot, or whatever it was, it just seemed like some snaps were there, and he’s got corner coverage skills and a physicality and ball skills that seem to fit with how we play football here.”
Metellus has missed most of training camp with an injury, opening some reps at the safety position. Good news for Hailassie, the club didn’t add an external body, but seemingly just gave the 2023 UDFA some run.
“Not surprised that he was around the football and made some plays,” O’Connell noted. “We talk a lot about tips and overthrows with what our defense can do, and that showed up tonight. I was really proud of him.”
The defender played in 42 career games at Oregon and Western Kentucky. In each of his final two seasons in college at the latter school, he caught two interceptions.
After the draft, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, but was waived on cutdown day. The Cleveland Browns claimed him off waivers. That’s where he spent the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, appearing in a total of ten games (105 snaps on defense and 102 on special teams). It’s noteworthy that the 2023 Browns defense, where all of his 105 snaps came from, had the best defense in football.
Following the 2024 season, the Vikings signed the defender to a futures contract, and here we are.
After the game, Hailassie said, “I kind of showed a disguise, and I saw where his eyes were looking, and I trusted my gut. I saw him take his hand off the ball, and I just broke on the ball. Made a good play.”
According to Lindsey Young of Vikings.com, Hailassie has played safety before, but it’s been a while.
Young wrote, “Just this past week, Vikings coaches moved Hailassie from cornerback to safety — a transition he embraced. He’s played safety before, but Hailassie said it’s been ‘five or six years’ since he was asked to do so. The California native played the position at Elk Grove High School and then to start his collegiate career at Oregon, but the Ducks shifted him to corner due to a slew of injuries. Hailassie capitalized on the move and stayed at cornerback through his transfer to Western Kentucky, where he played for two seasons.”
Having versatile defenders is key in the NFL, especially when Brian Flores is calling the shots. Hailassie was a long shot to make the 53-man roster at cornerback, but when he’s suddenly a playmaking Swiss army knife, why shouldn’t he have a real shot?
“I can play safety, inside [corner], outside. I think they see that, too, and that was the reason they made that move,” Hailassie added.
The Vikings have two star safeties in Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus, and one borderline starter in Theo Jackson. Jay Ward, a 2023 draftee, is the next man up with Mishael Powell and Gervarrious Owens providing more depth. It might be the easier spot to crack the roster.
It remains to be seen whether the Vikings will give him some more run at safety in the next two preseason games or audition him at cornerback. The 24-year-old certainly won’t complain either way.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.