Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-WisconsinCredit: Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Over the past little bit, I’ve been unveiling a position-by-position roster projection for the Vikings. The defense finishes up with Minnesota’s safeties.
Brian Flores loves the position, keeping a half dozen for last year’s iteration of the defense. Why? Well, they embody the versatility that he (and Kevin O’Connell) love in their Vikings. The safeties are all over the field in Minnesota, literally lining up from along the defensive line to the deepest area of the field. Does that mean six get kept around once again?
Minnesota’s Safeties and the Growing Competition Among the DBs
Hop over to the Vikings’ website and look at the safeties on the roster.
The names are familiar: Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, and Lewis Cine. The top trio — Smith, Bynum, & Metellus — aren’t going anywhere in 2024. Those three are going to be leaned on to push the Flores defense higher than the 2023 version.
Dec 4, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum (24) intercepts a pass during the fourth quarter against the New York Jets at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Smith, somehow, continues playing at a strong level. No longer elite, The Hitman is still one of the most versatile players in the NFL, an attribute that fits perfectly with what his DC wants from his defensive backs.
Last season, Smith was in the box for 390 snaps and in the deep area of the field for 346 snaps. He was in the slot for 151 snaps and along the defensive line for 185 snaps (that’s where Smith’s size — 6’2″, 211 — helps). There were even 39 snaps out at corner.
Metellus saw similar usage. The crucial difference is that Metellus jumped into the slot — 396 snaps — far more than the deep area of the field — 55 snaps. There were then 377 snaps in the box, 206 along the defensive line, and 29 out wide at corner.
Nov 12, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings safety Theo Jackson (25) and safety Josh Metellus (44) during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Somewhat ironically, college corner Camryn Bynum had 561 snaps at free safety and just 42 along the defensive line. The slot snaps were sitting at 282 and he was in the box for 186 snaps. Oh, and then there were 49 snaps out wide as a corner.
After the top trio is Mr. Jackson and Mr. Ward. Those two showed promise last season even in limited roles. Jackson has already gotten some hype and Ward is a sneaky pick for a mini-breakout after gobbling up 302 special teams snaps last season.
The Vikings like both players.
Aug 26, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Jay Ward (20) sacks Arizona Cardinals quarterback Clayton Tune (15) and causes a fumble that would be recovered by the Vikings during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Finally, there’s Lewis Cine, the first ever pick of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s career.
A pair of factors have made Cine’s life more difficult in Minnesota, both of which have been out of his control. First, there was the brutal trade back where Adofo-Mensah dropped twenty spots and yet didn’t secure a future 1st. Cine had nothing to do with the draft trade but one wonders if there is a negative sentiment toward the safety since he was the initial byproduct of the misguided trade (Kyle Hamilton, as so many have pointed out, was still on the board).
And then he broke his leg as a rookie, ending things before they could really begin. Injuries in football happen, but it’s tough when a young guy who is just getting his feet underneath him goes down.
Aug 20, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
The problem for Cine is that it’s hard to see who he will leapfrog on the depth chart. The top five are all well thought of in Minnesota.
Look for the Vikings to keep five safeties: Smith, Metellus, Bynum, Jackson, and Ward. Cine looks like a trade candidate.
Before training camp arrives, I’ll be doing a position-by-position roster projection in an effort to understand what the final 53-man roster could look like. Once training camp and the preseason unfold, we can swing back around to the projections to see about any adjustments. Entries: Quarterback, Running Back, Tight End, Wide Receiver, Offensive Line (Complete Offense), Defensive Line, Edge Rusher, Linebacker, and Corner.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and PFF 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/opinion/minnesotas-safeties-versatile/
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Publish date : 2024-07-11 08:00:00
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