Former Zimmer DB Looking to Get Back Into NFL
K. Joudry
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Back in 2018, the Vikings signed George Iloka, largely due to Mike Zimmer’s influence. Minnesota’s former coach had worked with Iloka when they were both in Cincinnati. At the time, the thinking was that the veteran safety could help improve the Vikings secondary.
Take a look at some quotes from a news story from when Iloka signed in 2018. He suggests that Zim got the ball rolling:
“The Vikings just came out of nowhere pretty much, late last evening,” said Iloka on Wednesday, just hours after signing a one-year deal with the Vikings. “Talked to Zim (head coach Mike Zimmer) and the ball just got rolling real fast. I would even say they weren’t an option two days ago because there was no communication with them.”
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“I know coach Zim, have a good relationship with him,” Iloka said. “I’m comfortable with the system, the playbook. And this is a good team. They were real close last year, they were on the brink of making it to the Super Bowl.”
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out particularly well. His PFF grade was a pretty strong 68.0, though he didn’t play a super prominent role. According to Pro Football Reference, George Iloka only got in on 116 defensive snaps. He did have a lot of special teams snaps, but safe to say it wasn’t a perfect situation.
As the above tweet suggests, Iloka is looking to get back into the NFL. The goal is to be a “cover linebacker,” which likely means he’ll be tasked with matching up with tight ends and running backs. Modern NFL offenses present all kinds of issues when they have players who are both really large and really fast. Having defenders who can help slow these offensive weapons is thus of increasing importance. Iloka is listed as being 6’4, 225 pounds.
The journey for George Iloka won’t be an easy one. Making an NFL roster is challenging under normal circumstances, but he’s trying to do so as a veteran coming off a year away due to injury. Perhaps he’ll find a home with a team that can use his size and experience.
