Quietly, a Vikings Defender Has Changed Roles
In the 2023 NFL Draft, Minnesota Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah selected wide receiver Jordan Addison in the first round, followed by cornerback Mekhi Blackmon in the third. On day three, he also acquired defensive back Jay Ward. Yes, the term “defensive back” is correct because of his versatility. In college at LSU, he got some run at safety, in the slot, and as an outside corner.
As we all know, Brian Flores, the defensive coordinator in his third season in charge of the unit, loves flexible defenders who can move around the formation on any given play. Ward fits the description, so it’s not surprising he landed in the Twin Cities.
Jay Ward’s New Role
It’s now his third season. After a couple of years as primarily a special-teamer, Ward’s role has slowly grown, and he even logged a pair of starts this year. This season, he has been part of the defensive personnel 109 times — more than in his first two years combined.
The intriguing aspect is that the listed safety played ten of his 19 snaps as an outside cornerback and another six in the slot in the most recent contest against the Washington Commanders. That day, he also replaced cornerback Isaiah Rodgers in the starting lineup, suggesting a shift from safety to cornerback.
A potential reason could be the lack of cornerback depth. The Vikings have Byron Murphy as an unquestioned starter, but Rodgers has been up and down all year — the last month has arguably been more down than up. However, there’s no real replacement candidate on the roster. Jeff Okudah is on IR with his second concussion of the season.
Fabian Moreau has gotten some playing time since, but he’s well past his prime, when he certainly was a starter. He’s done fairly well, but more than his season-best 24 snaps in a game might be pushing it. And then there’s Dwight McGlothern, who the franchise moved from the 53-man roster to the practice squad and back to the active roster. He has, for some reason, only gotten one snap since Week 8.
The guys’ struggles help Ward. Flores is experimenting with him as an outside corner, something he’s done in training camp in 2024, when Blackmon went down with a knee injury, and before Stephon Gilmore arrived as a reinforcement. On paper, he’s still a safety.
Throughout his college career at LSU, he started in 46 games and registered 164 tackles and six interceptions.
Ahead of the draft, draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote about the defender, “Versatile defensive back with a fearless playing mentality. Ward has good size and length for a nickel cornerback, but he lacks a little thickness as a safety who likes to hit. He can be counted on to do his job in run support from the slot and has adequate coverage talent from off-man and zone. He will make plays when he’s in position to do so but doesn’t have the route anticipation needed for strong on-ball production just yet. Ward takes good angles to the football in coverage and run support as a safety. His versatility improves his chances of becoming an NFL starter in the future.”
In college, Ward played on the outside, as a nickel corner, as a deep safety, and in the box. His NFL role could be comparable going forward, especially with Flores calling the shots. He’s unlikely to be a long-term cornerback solution, and it remains to be seen if he’s ever trusted in a full-time role at safety. Joshua Metellus and Theo Jackson are under contract for another season, but Harrison Smith’s gig might open. The Vikings could still acquire a different safety, of course.
Not only did his start against the Commanders raise eyebrows, but his tackle against tight end Zach Ertz brought him some unwanted attention. Ertz is out for the year, and at age 35, it might be the last tackle he’ll ever face. The hit is controversial. On the one hand, it’s a legal play and doesn’t violate any rules. On the other hand, perhaps diving head (or shoulder) first into a player’s legs isn’t the best move for the player’s safety.
Vikings fans were on the other side of that play when Lions safety Kerby Joseph knocked tight end T.J. Hockenson out for almost a year in 2023. Head coach Kevin O’Connell defended his player.
Ward, 25, has played in 46 NFL games, securing 24 tackles and a couple of fumble recoveries. The third-year defender has been a cornerstone of special teams, and his role on defense has grown in recent weeks. He has four more weeks to audition for an even more prominent role in his contract year in 2026.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.