EAGAN, Minn. — If this were a roulette table, and the football versions of red and black were instead pass rush and coverage, the Minnesota Vikings would have most of their chips on the former.
It’s a calculated wager. One that makes loads of sense. It’s also a choice that could end up defining their season.
As of Thursday evening, the Vikings only had four cornerbacks on their roster. One of them, Byron Murphy Jr., is a proven veteran. Another, Isaiah Rodgers, has provided plenty of reasons to believe during training camp.
Behind those two? The Vikings have experience in Jeff Okudah and upside with Dwight McGothern. But there are concerns with both.
On Thursday, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was asked about his team’s plan for the defensive backfield. He didn’t hint at any significant changes on the horizon. He did, however, cite the practice-squad addition of veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau as a move to provide depth.
“We were able to bring back Fabian, who we view as an NFL-caliber guy,” Adofo-Mensah said. “He can play a lot of snaps for us.”
Why so little urgency? It goes back to the bet.
The Vikings know they have one of the most talented edge rusher trios in the NFL. Last year, Jonathan Greenard was one of two defenders to record more than 50 pressures, 10 sacks, 25 run stops and 10 run stuffs. Who joined him in accomplishing this feat? Former Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
There’s also Andrew Van Ginkel, the second-team All-Pro cyborg who would vie for the title as the most instinctive defender in the NFL. It’s not just the highlight-reel pick sixes. Van Ginkel sniffs out toss sweeps. He executes spin moves as a pass rusher. His coverage fluidity strengthens the defense’s ability to disguise because he drops as frequently as he rushes the passer.
Second-year pro Dallas Turner is coming on, too. Another year in Brian Flores’ system has established trust with the staff. Turner is also more refined. Toss him in with the overhauled interior defensive line, buoyed by the signings of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, and it’s easy to see the front office’s vision.
A higher degree of impact from the four most prominent pass rushers should mean fewer all-out blitzes. It then becomes a simple math equation. Sending fewer men at the quarterback offers you more defenders in coverage. Use seven players to occupy zones instead of five, and you remove major portions of the available space.
It is worth noting that three of the top five defenses last year in DVOA were also three of the top five leaders in sacks.
Pass rush and coverage tend to be tied together. The quicker the quarterback gets rid of the football, the less time cornerbacks are forced to cover, and the lower the average depth of receiving targets.
The Vikings’ words and dollars spent leave no doubt. They believe that spending their resources heavily on the front end will be most beneficial.
It helps to have a defense with such versatility. Because the Minnesota safeties are so smart and multiple, the team deploys three at the same time. This is commonly referred to as a “big nickel” package, something the team used on almost half of its snaps in 2024.
Flores also didn’t refrain from positioning safeties in the slot. Last season, Josh Metellus played almost the same number of snaps at slot defender as Murphy. Minnesota’s two other primary safeties in 2024, Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum, combined for nearly 200 snaps at slot defender, as well. No one inside the building has given any indication that the Vikings will alter this strategy, even in Bynum’s absence.
This is where the onus falls on Theo Jackson, a backup for multiple seasons who staffers and teammates have praised behind the scenes. His playing time should increase drastically. How he performs will factor into the way the Vikings manage their cornerback situation.
One interesting layer, at least early in the season, is Smith’s availability. The 36-year-old hasn’t practiced since Aug. 11 due to a personal health matter, according to multiple league sources. Smith is recovering, and the expectation is that he won’t be absent for the long term. Any missed games, though, would place immense responsibility on 2023 fourth-round pick Jay Ward, practice-squad contributor Kahlef Hailassie or any potential external signing. Communication is paramount for this defense due to the many checks made at the line of scrimmage. The inclusion of any of the youngsters above in Smith’s place would only further stress the back end.
Perhaps Minnesota will manage effectively with Murphy, Rodgers and Okudah. Murphy thrives in the slot. Rodgers has the speed and ball skills to run with receivers on the outside. And Okudah has a specific skill set that is not lost on Flores. He deploys his physicality with jams at the line of scrimmage, and he is explosive enough to cover ground on the short side of the field.
Still, it’s a lot to ask. And what happens if Murphy or Rodgers suffers an injury? Would the Vikings be willing to go with Okudah or McGlothern? Moreau held his own late last season, but there is a reason the 31-year-old remained unsigned before this week.
The team could look for help in the meantime. There are several available options with experience in the system, such as Stephon Gilmore or Shaq Griffin. The Vikings could also revisit the issue if their early-season plan flounders.
“We’ll always be mindful throughout the season to look at different opportunities,” Adofo-Mensah said.
The Vikings appear to be OK sticking with what they have. Maybe that’s because the pass-rush group remains healthy, or because Flores plans to call games even more creatively than he has in past years. It’s bold either way, but when has taking a risk on a Sunday stopped Flores before?
(Photo of Byron Murphy Jr.: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)