3 Reasons Why the Vikings’ Air-Traffic Controllers are Set to Shutdown the Skies
The Vikings’ air-traffic controllers largely consist of solid rather than sizzling players.
All of Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, James Pierre, Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, and Jay Ward are good football players. So, too, do rookie newcomers Jakobe Thomas (3rd Round) and Chuck Demmings (5th Round) inspire optimism. Combined, the Minnesota secondary may be primed for a sturdier season than most anticipate.
The Vikings’ Air-Traffic Controllers in 2026
Reason No. 1 — An Improvement at CB3 in James Pierre
Football is a matchup sport. Putting Pierre into the CB3 job therefore arrives as good news.
He’s a long-and-strong player. As a result, Coach Flores can feel confident in putting Pierre onto the field when it comes time to run with Detroit’s Jameson Williams, Green Bay’s Christian Watson, Chicago’s Rome Odunze, and so on. Slowing down these tall, vertical threats will do good things for the defense as a whole.
Reason No. 2 — Several Players Bouncing Back
To be frank, Metellus wasn’t very good in 2025. Neither was Jackson. Murphy took a step back and Rodgers cooled off after a phenomenal start to 2025 (especially that historic Week 3 game).
Back in 2024, Mr. Murphy was excellent at plucking passes out of the sky, piling up 6 interceptions in a Pro Bowl season. He then earned a major raise before struggling to shine as brightly in 2025. Seeing him rebound isn’t a foregone conclusion but there’s a case to be made that he was snakebitten last year.
Likewise, Metellus, Jackson, and others are all chasing a stronger year. Getting some internal improvement should be expected.
Reason No. 3 — Something Old, Something New
Before too long, youth will win. The Vikings appear to have acknowledged that reality in some of the levers that have been pulled.
Minnesota sunk a 3rd-Round selection into safety Jakobe Thomas and a 5th-Round selection into corner Chuck Demmings. Neither is necessarily a favorite to win a starting job in 2026. Still, though, there’s upside in adding youthful speed. Look for these two to be impressive on specials while offering valuable depth to Coach Flores.
Overall, the Vikings’ secondary boasts a nice blend of older players who are still in their prime alongside some guys who are new to the NFL.
