Vikings Should Re-Sign a Reliable Bargain Free Agent
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will be a busy man when the legal tampering period starts on March 10th. His impending free agents include some prominent players like quarterback Sam Darnold and top starters Byron Murphy, Cam Bynum, and Aaron Jones.
Vikings Should Re-Sign a Reliable Bargain Free Agent
The secondary will be depleted until he finds a couple of reinforcements, not unlike the pass-rushing crew a year ago when Danielle Hunter, D.J. Wonnum, and Marcus Davenport left the franchise, and Adofo-Mensah hired replacements Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.
This time, however, he should secure the rights of one backup to ease the blow. Reserve safety Theo Jackson has been with the team since 2022, and whenever the team needed him, he was there and made plays in the secondary.
With uncertainty surrounding the futures of starting safeties Cam Bynum and Harrison Smith, he needs to be a priority to return either in a starting role or continue to be a top backup and insurance in case Adofo-Mensah fails to acquire a starter in free agency or the draft.
Jackson has played in 43 games in three seasons with the Vikings, registering a pair of interceptions as well as 47 tackles.
When Smith was forced to sit out last season’s game in Seattle, it was Jackson who played an increased role and sealed the game with a Geno Smith interception late in the contest.
After the game, Jackson said about his big moment; “Honestly, I was just as surprised as you all were. We were in two-high, I saw him throw it and I was kind of confused myself as to why he threw it. I’m going to catch the ones he throws to me so it was super exciting. I’m still coming down from the adrenaline right now.”
The 26-year-old spent his college career playing for the University of Tennessee. Jackson showcased intriguing speed at his pro day when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds. He fell to the sixth round when his hometown team, the Tennessee Titans, selected him. The safety was born in Nashville, Tennessee.
He failed to make the initial 53-man roster and was stashed on Tennessee’s practice squad but didn’t have to wait long before the Vikings called and signed him following Lewis Cine’s leg fracture in 2022. 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.
When Flores arrived, 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. While he might not be the preferred choice to start in the secondary, he has earned a chance to compete for his spot in the rotation.
The safety is a restricted free agent, meaning he will be cheap, and the Vikings control his rights.
Jackson, 26, should be a priority for the Vikings.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus, Over the Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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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