Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY SportsCredit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Vikings d-lineman James Lynch certainly sounds like a Brian Flores kind of player.
Hard working and versatile, Lynch is capable of moving up and down the defensive line in search of mismatches. There’s some power in his game and some pass-rush sizzle, so he could be a bit of a chess piece up front. Intriguing, right? Can Flores turn the fifth-year player into a key piece of his ’24 defense?
Can Vikings D-Lineman James Lynch Take Flight in Year 5?
The word coming out of college was one of optimism.
Lynch played at Baylor, putting up some snazzy stats while there. His final season involved picking up an insane 13.5 sacks alongside 19.5 tackles for a loss. The defender regularly made plays behind the line of scrimmage, sparking enthusiasm about what he could do as a pro.
Dec 20, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney (11) is tackled in the second quarter against Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle James Lynch (92) at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports
The NFL scouting blurb spoke to some of that upside: “Active, powerful defensive lineman with some moldable upside still to be had. Teams who view him as an even front three-technique may not view his gaudy, high-impact production as translatable to the pros, but his snap quickness and power to displace at the point of attack are important traits for interior success. Lynch played in a team-oriented upfield scheme and flashed potential to handle read-and-react duties if asked to slide out to five-technique. He should come into the league as a scheme-independent, rotational defender with the tools to challenge as an eventual starter.”
So far, Lynch has struggled to live up to the optimism.
Minnesota landed him in the 4th, 130th overall. The NFL assessment had Lynch as a 3rd-Round selection and PFF had him in a similar spot, putting him at 99th overall on their board. The word from PFF: “Lynch is firmly a tweener. He’s undersized for the interior, but lacks ideal length/burst for the edge. He doesn’t have high-ceiling physical tools, but he’s powerful enough to add plus run defense and pass-rushing ability at the next level.”
Still only 25, James Lynch still has some potential to fulfill the positive assessment. He ran a modest 5.01 forty but did toss up 23 reps on the bench press, further pointing toward the “tweener” status that PFF mentions. Some size, some speed, some strength, but not dominant in any particular area.
Oct 16, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle James Lynch. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports.
Last year, he was forced to sit out the whole season while recovering from a serious knee injury. The downside is he didn’t play at all; the upside is that all he could do was work on the mental part of the game. In theory, Lynch could have an excellent understanding of the Flores defense.
The man has played in 37 NFL games, starting a trio. The most snaps he has ever played came as a sophomore when he got onto the field for 305 defensive snaps. That was Mike Zimmer’s final season. With Ed Donatell, Lynch got onto the field for 276 snaps.
He only has a pair of sacks in his NFL career and just 4 tackles for a loss, so the eye-popping college production has been largely absent.
The hope in Minnesota is that playing under Brian Flores’ tutelage will spark something in Lynch. He’s versatile, young, and offered tons of potential coming out of college. There’s reason to give him another shot with a defensive wizard who has a reputation for getting the best out of his players.
Aug 20, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle James Lynch (92) and cornerback Akayleb Evans (21) tackle San Francisco 49ers running back Tyrion Davis-Price (32) during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
The cherry of top for James Lynch is that defensive tackle is arguably the most uncertain position on Minnesota’s roster. He’s no guarantee to make the roster but there’s a chance to earn real playing time if he seizes the opportunity in front of him.
He has mostly been a 3T in the NFL, but Lynch has picked up snaps at 1T and 5T, as well. Look for Flores to lean on this background of moving around as he tries to find a fit for the defender.
With plenty to prove, James Lynch is playing on a modest deal. His deal spans just a single season and comes in a touch above $1 million. Ideally, Lynch plays so well that both team and player feel compelled to agree upon a much larger deal next offseason.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, Sports Reference CFB, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.
Source link : https://purpleptsd.com/2024/vikings/vikings-analysis/vikings-d-lineman-cro/
Author :
Publish date : 2024-06-25 08:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.