A Trail of Hints Suggest Vikings Secondary Will be Highly Malleable
K. Joudry
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Paying attention to some of the smaller details coming out of the Vikings’ world can be instructive. In a few brief moments during the pressers, some of the defensive backs have been suggesting things are going to look really malleable on the back of the defense.
Yes, the Vikings secondary is looking like one that will ask its players to move all over the place.
In his earlier press conference, Andrew Booth Jr. discussed his new DC, describing Brian Flores as a “gamer.” Not too long afterwards, the sophomore corner noted how he’s trying to understand the different parts of the defensive backfield: “He expects all of us to know every position in the back 7 because it can change and it changes based on the play call and different variations of what we do.”
More recently, third-year safety Camryn Bynum spoke to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson. Take a look at what Bynum has been focusing on: “One thing that they stress is learning multiple positions […] sometimes we might have to lineup at corner as being safeties lineup in the linebacker [position] in the box.”
And rookie corner Mekhi Blackmon also spoke to Wolfson. Again, there is an emphasis on learning multiple things. The CB noted how he’s “overstudying” and that what he means by that is studying “other positions” and “positions all over the defense just in case I ever get put in those situations.”
Moving back even further we can think of Jay Ward, the not-easy-to-define defensive back from LSU. Ward’s versatility is one of his most intriguing attributes. A major reason why he joined the team is because he has proven capable of lining up in different spots.
Meanwhile, arguably the main free agent signing was Byron Murphy, a corner capable of lining up both inside and outside. Based on what some of the other defensive backs are saying, Murphy may even see some snaps in the box or at safety.
And, of course, we think of Harrison Smith, who is basically Gandalf at this stage. The wise wizard playing safety has long been cherished for his capacity to do multiple things at a high level, excelling both in the deep area of the field as well as behind the line of scrimmage. One has to think Flores is planning on moving his veteran safety all over the place.
What matters the most, of course, is building a far stingier defense. Last year’s 13-4 record appears like a minor miracle given all that needed to be overcome with the completely uninspiring, overmatched defense. Improvement, not a sophisticated scheme, is the goal.
In a lot of instances, Vikings fans have discussed their concerns about the corner depth. Well, having a more malleable secondary that moves players into different spots is one way of addressing that perceived shortcoming. There is some strong talent at safety, so perhaps we’ll see more than just a pair get onto the field.
As the year progresses, we’ll be able to see what kind of trends emerge and develop. The current vantage point, though, suggests the new DC is demanding his defensive backs understand how to play multiple different positions.
Minnesota’s Week 1 game against Tampa Bay is now less than 3 months away.
