01-28-2025, 11:49 AM
This is a pretty good read analyzing the current situation, and the respective roles each roster player had this past season. Quick hits: Dirty Harry MIGHT not be gone, Bye Bye Asamoah, please re-sign Cam Bynum and extend Swiss-army knife Metellus.
Matthew Coller: Future of the Vikings, Part 6: Linebackers and safeties
The Vikings safeties and linebackers had a great year but will there be changes in 2025?
The Minnesota Vikings couldn’t have asked for much more from their linebackers and safeties than to find a franchise player in Blake Cashman and see a strong follow-up act from 2023 breakout players like Josh Metellus, Ivan Pace Jr. and Cam Bynum. That doesn’t mean that everything is settled with both rooms though. Let’s have a closer look at the LBs and safeties…
Linebackers
Blake Cashman
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Cashman was a revelation for the Vikings defense. Not only did he finish in the top 20 by PFF grade in run defense, tackling, pass rush and coverage but he was the commander of the front seven, playing a cat-and-mouse game with opposing quarterbacks that he won far more often than he lost. Cashman was a wrecking ball as a pass rusher, totaling 31 pressures and 4.5 sacks and he was in the top 15 in terms of lowest percentage of missed tackles.
Not bad for a guy on a three-year, $22.5 million contract. The local product was one of the best free agent signings of last season. He will be able to build on his knowledge of Brian Flores’s defense going forward as a centerpiece of the team.
Ivan Pace Jr.
Violence was the name of the game for Pace Jr. this year. His 85.6 run defense grade placed him in the top 10 and he ranked third in pass rush grade with a 89.1 grade. Pace Jr. finished with 19 pressures and 3.0 sacks but that doesn’t full capture the havoc that he caused by pinballing off offensive linemen and running over running backs.
Where Pace Jr. struggled in 2024 was in coverage. He received the lowest PFF coverage grade among all starting and rotational linebackers (29.3). When throwing into his coverage, opponents 23-of-28 passes for 269 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
Linebacker coverage from year to year can be a tricky beast. Last season Pace Jr. posted a solid 77.7 coverage grade and opposing teams averaged just 5.7 yards per completion throwing into his area. Whether it was matchups or gameplans or small sample sizes, the Vikings can’t allow him to be targeted with such success again next season.
Kamu Grugier-Hill
The Vikings hit on many of their under-the-radar signings across the board but Grugier-Hill did not work out the way they hoped. He picked off two passes in his first two games, then struggled to fill the shoes of either Cashman or Pace Jr. when either player was out due to injury. In those games, Flores ultimately turned to Josh Metellus to have him play linebacker instead, limiting Grugier-Hill to only one game with 20+ snaps after Week 4. His overall 36.4 grade was the lowest of any defensive player with at least 100 snaps and he was the Vikings lowest graded special teamer with at least 100 ST snaps.
Brian Asamoah
It really speaks to where Asamoah stands in Flores’s eyes that he couldn’t see the field with multiple injuries and ineffectiveness in front of him. The third-rounder in 2022 played just 34 snaps in 2024 after only seeing 36 in 2023. While it’s understandable that Flores didn’t draft Asamoah and might not see him as a fit, it would have been shocking to hear that he played less than 80 snaps over the last two seasons when he got off to a good start in ‘22.
Credit Asamoah for not letting the issues with his playing time impact his effort on special teams. He finished as the second highest graded special teamer on the Vikings behind Trent Sherfield.
The bus has seemingly left the station for Asamoah to become a rotational player or backup for Cashman/Pace Jr. but the fact that he hasn’t earned Flores’s trust means they will likely have to find someone else in free agency to hold down that position.
Safeties
Harrison Smith
How many players at the safety position near the age of 36 are capable of playing over 1,000 snaps in a season? Well, not many. Pittsburgh legend Troy Polamalu only played until age 33 and Ed Reed's last 1,000-snap season came when he was 34. And Smith wasn’t just out there as a veteran presence — he played well. It wasn’t quite to the standard of his 2014-2019, which was a stretch comparable to any Hall of Fame-caliber safety, but he did pick off three passes and grade by PFF as a top-25 run defender, tackler and in coverage (23rd in passer rating allowed).
With a solid performance like that and his appreciation for Flores, Smith might decide to give it one more year. If he decides to walk away, he will have put together one of the best careers of any modern safety.
Cam Bynum
Bynum played his third straight 1,000-snap season. By the PFF numbers, he rated above average against the run but was not quite as effective this year in coverage as he was in 2023. His coverage grade went down from 69.7 to 59.6 (25th to 36th) and his yards per catch allowed went from 8.8 to 13.7.
Similar to linebackers, the cause and effective of coverage stats can be hard to figure. Was that related to a few games where opponents took advantage of the middle of the field? Is it just a small sample size? Oddly enough, the passer rating allowed into his coverage was actually lower in 2024.
So we have to use our common sense here. Bynum is a consistent and effective safety with a fearless element to his game and very high IQ. He worked as a very good partner for Harrison Smith over the last three years and is the type of player who can fit nicely into any defense. He was also a catalyst for the defense’s enthusiasm and energy and the culture of the locker room. There are few people you’d rather have than him when it comes to the culture aspect.
The question the Vikings must answer is: How much is that all worth? There are a number of free agent safeties that are around the same age and production as Bynum, which could drive down his cost to some extent but there are also a lot of teams that need reliable, smart, culture boosters and that should be willing to pay for his services.
In terms of comparables, the closest might be Kansas City’s Justin Reid, who makes $10.5 million per year. That doesn’t seem like a bridge too far for the Vikings but if other teams come in with money in the ballpark of stars like Xavier McKinney ($16.5 million), the Vikings might get priced out.
Josh Metellus
Call him a linebacker or safety or hybrid or whatever you like. No matter the title, Metellus’s value to the 2024 defense was as high as any player on the field this year. He led all safeties in the NFL in QB pressures with 18, graded as the fourth best tackler and ninth best run defender and played in just about every spot on the field.
He was dinged in coverage for a lot of the quick-game completions over the middle of the field as opponents completed 77% of throws near him but Metellus’s coverage numbers overall would have been better had he not misplayed a 98-yard touchdown against the Titans. Without that play, the opposition would have only averaged 6.6 yards per reception, which would have been the lowest number in the league.
Will Metellus’s role change if Smith retires or Bynum exits in free agency? He has been so effective in his currently role that Flores might not want to slide him back into a “normal” spot, even if that job is dynamic like Smith’s position for all these years.
The other adjustment might need to be Metellus’s contract. He signed an extension right before his 2023 breakout season but after playing more than 2,000 snaps over the last two years it doesn’t make much sense for him to be making less per year than Xavier Woods in Carolina. An extension could lower his short-term cap hit, which is set to be $7.3 million next year. Valuing Metellus won’t be easy because there are so few comparable players.
Bobby McCain
The Vikings brought in McCain during training camp when they were concerned about depth in the secondary. It turned out that they didn’t need to use him as much as they might have thought. He played 37 snaps in a win over the Seahawks and that was his only action other than three snaps in the opener and 27 plays on special teams.
McCain, who is 31 years old, did use his experience to contribute in the team’s game planning by working with Kevin O’Connell as a key member of the practice squad. They might want to bring him back for that reason along with depth next year.
Theo Jackson
Over the last three years with the Vikings, Jackson has only played 221 defensive snaps, yet every time he gets on the field, he does something good. Whether it was picking off Jalen Hurts in 2023 or coming up with a game-ending interception against the Seahawks, he seems to have a nose for the football. That also showed up in training camp, where he ran away with the lead for camp INTs. Jackson’s playmaking ability — though untested in the larger sample — may give the Vikings an answer if they lose Cam Bynum to free agency. They have a lot of similarities as high-IQ players who didn’t quite have the physical traits to be high draft picks. His development may influence how the Vikings approach the position.
Jay Ward
The fourth-round pick did not see much action on defense but he did get a ton of work on special teams. Ward played the fourth most snaps on ‘teams and finished with a solid 70.2 grade. It’s hard to say based on his tiny sample of work whether the Vikings feel Ward has the potential to develop into a role player or more because he’s behind so many talented players but we have seen the development pipeline from special teams safeties into starters bear a lot of fruit over the years, from Andrew Sendejo to Anthony Harris to Josh Metellus.
Free agent options
If the Vikings lose Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum, they might roll with in-house options but they could also look for a free agent replacement to take one of the spots. Here are the available free agents at safety:
Jevon Holland (Miami) — A Brian Flores draft pick who became an instant star as a rookie in 2021 could be the perfect replacement for Smith if he retires. He is coming off a down season but has a track record as a game breaker.
Justin Reid (Kansas City) — Reid’s usage chart would remind you of Josh Metellus. He lines up all over the field and has proven himself as a playmaker for the Chiefs over the last three years. Ranked 11th among safeties by PFF.
Trevon Moehrig (Las Vegas) — A very physical Flores-style player who ranked 4th among safeties in QB pressures and 6th in tackling
Jeremy Chinn (Washington) — Another strong tackler who has improved in coverage over the years. Ranked 21st by PFF
Julian Blackmon (Indianapolis) — Had three picks and ranked 14th in coverage grades
Talanoa Hufanga (San Francisco) — Banged up the last two years, he is the dynamic physical playmaker type that would fit Flores
Andre Cisco (Jacksonville) — Everyone was bad in Jacksonville this year but Cisco has three above average seasons under his belt and he’s only 25
Justin Simmons (Atlanta) — The long-time Bronco played over 1,000 snaps for the Falcons but had a tough season, missing nearly 20% of his attempted tackles and ranking 47th of 64 starters by PFF.
The draft
It would be totally shocking if the Vikings drafted a safety anywhere except the back end of the draft. They have two that have been in development for multiple seasons and tons of free agent options. It’s also possible that the entire band is back together next year.
The bottom line
The Vikings safety room will either need no work or will have a big “Under Construction” sign on it. If Cam Bynum hits the free agent market and Harrison Smith elects to retire, they will have tons of free agent options to replace Bynum, some of which might even be viewed as potential upgrades. Smith’s Hall of Fame-caliber mind for the game and trust from Flores will be very difficult to replace but Josh Metellus is the best suited to shape shift into that type of leadership role. They can also look toward Theo Jackson and Jay Ward as players with upside to become the next Bynum or Metellus. So even if the position is in flux, it’s safe to say that it should find a good landing spot.
Matthew Coller: Future of the Vikings, Part 6: Linebackers and safeties
The Vikings safeties and linebackers had a great year but will there be changes in 2025?
The Minnesota Vikings couldn’t have asked for much more from their linebackers and safeties than to find a franchise player in Blake Cashman and see a strong follow-up act from 2023 breakout players like Josh Metellus, Ivan Pace Jr. and Cam Bynum. That doesn’t mean that everything is settled with both rooms though. Let’s have a closer look at the LBs and safeties…
Linebackers
Blake Cashman
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Cashman was a revelation for the Vikings defense. Not only did he finish in the top 20 by PFF grade in run defense, tackling, pass rush and coverage but he was the commander of the front seven, playing a cat-and-mouse game with opposing quarterbacks that he won far more often than he lost. Cashman was a wrecking ball as a pass rusher, totaling 31 pressures and 4.5 sacks and he was in the top 15 in terms of lowest percentage of missed tackles.
Not bad for a guy on a three-year, $22.5 million contract. The local product was one of the best free agent signings of last season. He will be able to build on his knowledge of Brian Flores’s defense going forward as a centerpiece of the team.
Ivan Pace Jr.
Violence was the name of the game for Pace Jr. this year. His 85.6 run defense grade placed him in the top 10 and he ranked third in pass rush grade with a 89.1 grade. Pace Jr. finished with 19 pressures and 3.0 sacks but that doesn’t full capture the havoc that he caused by pinballing off offensive linemen and running over running backs.
Where Pace Jr. struggled in 2024 was in coverage. He received the lowest PFF coverage grade among all starting and rotational linebackers (29.3). When throwing into his coverage, opponents 23-of-28 passes for 269 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
Linebacker coverage from year to year can be a tricky beast. Last season Pace Jr. posted a solid 77.7 coverage grade and opposing teams averaged just 5.7 yards per completion throwing into his area. Whether it was matchups or gameplans or small sample sizes, the Vikings can’t allow him to be targeted with such success again next season.
Kamu Grugier-Hill
The Vikings hit on many of their under-the-radar signings across the board but Grugier-Hill did not work out the way they hoped. He picked off two passes in his first two games, then struggled to fill the shoes of either Cashman or Pace Jr. when either player was out due to injury. In those games, Flores ultimately turned to Josh Metellus to have him play linebacker instead, limiting Grugier-Hill to only one game with 20+ snaps after Week 4. His overall 36.4 grade was the lowest of any defensive player with at least 100 snaps and he was the Vikings lowest graded special teamer with at least 100 ST snaps.
Brian Asamoah
It really speaks to where Asamoah stands in Flores’s eyes that he couldn’t see the field with multiple injuries and ineffectiveness in front of him. The third-rounder in 2022 played just 34 snaps in 2024 after only seeing 36 in 2023. While it’s understandable that Flores didn’t draft Asamoah and might not see him as a fit, it would have been shocking to hear that he played less than 80 snaps over the last two seasons when he got off to a good start in ‘22.
Credit Asamoah for not letting the issues with his playing time impact his effort on special teams. He finished as the second highest graded special teamer on the Vikings behind Trent Sherfield.
The bus has seemingly left the station for Asamoah to become a rotational player or backup for Cashman/Pace Jr. but the fact that he hasn’t earned Flores’s trust means they will likely have to find someone else in free agency to hold down that position.
Safeties
Harrison Smith
How many players at the safety position near the age of 36 are capable of playing over 1,000 snaps in a season? Well, not many. Pittsburgh legend Troy Polamalu only played until age 33 and Ed Reed's last 1,000-snap season came when he was 34. And Smith wasn’t just out there as a veteran presence — he played well. It wasn’t quite to the standard of his 2014-2019, which was a stretch comparable to any Hall of Fame-caliber safety, but he did pick off three passes and grade by PFF as a top-25 run defender, tackler and in coverage (23rd in passer rating allowed).
With a solid performance like that and his appreciation for Flores, Smith might decide to give it one more year. If he decides to walk away, he will have put together one of the best careers of any modern safety.
Cam Bynum
Bynum played his third straight 1,000-snap season. By the PFF numbers, he rated above average against the run but was not quite as effective this year in coverage as he was in 2023. His coverage grade went down from 69.7 to 59.6 (25th to 36th) and his yards per catch allowed went from 8.8 to 13.7.
Similar to linebackers, the cause and effective of coverage stats can be hard to figure. Was that related to a few games where opponents took advantage of the middle of the field? Is it just a small sample size? Oddly enough, the passer rating allowed into his coverage was actually lower in 2024.
So we have to use our common sense here. Bynum is a consistent and effective safety with a fearless element to his game and very high IQ. He worked as a very good partner for Harrison Smith over the last three years and is the type of player who can fit nicely into any defense. He was also a catalyst for the defense’s enthusiasm and energy and the culture of the locker room. There are few people you’d rather have than him when it comes to the culture aspect.
The question the Vikings must answer is: How much is that all worth? There are a number of free agent safeties that are around the same age and production as Bynum, which could drive down his cost to some extent but there are also a lot of teams that need reliable, smart, culture boosters and that should be willing to pay for his services.
In terms of comparables, the closest might be Kansas City’s Justin Reid, who makes $10.5 million per year. That doesn’t seem like a bridge too far for the Vikings but if other teams come in with money in the ballpark of stars like Xavier McKinney ($16.5 million), the Vikings might get priced out.
Josh Metellus
Call him a linebacker or safety or hybrid or whatever you like. No matter the title, Metellus’s value to the 2024 defense was as high as any player on the field this year. He led all safeties in the NFL in QB pressures with 18, graded as the fourth best tackler and ninth best run defender and played in just about every spot on the field.
He was dinged in coverage for a lot of the quick-game completions over the middle of the field as opponents completed 77% of throws near him but Metellus’s coverage numbers overall would have been better had he not misplayed a 98-yard touchdown against the Titans. Without that play, the opposition would have only averaged 6.6 yards per reception, which would have been the lowest number in the league.
Will Metellus’s role change if Smith retires or Bynum exits in free agency? He has been so effective in his currently role that Flores might not want to slide him back into a “normal” spot, even if that job is dynamic like Smith’s position for all these years.
The other adjustment might need to be Metellus’s contract. He signed an extension right before his 2023 breakout season but after playing more than 2,000 snaps over the last two years it doesn’t make much sense for him to be making less per year than Xavier Woods in Carolina. An extension could lower his short-term cap hit, which is set to be $7.3 million next year. Valuing Metellus won’t be easy because there are so few comparable players.
Bobby McCain
The Vikings brought in McCain during training camp when they were concerned about depth in the secondary. It turned out that they didn’t need to use him as much as they might have thought. He played 37 snaps in a win over the Seahawks and that was his only action other than three snaps in the opener and 27 plays on special teams.
McCain, who is 31 years old, did use his experience to contribute in the team’s game planning by working with Kevin O’Connell as a key member of the practice squad. They might want to bring him back for that reason along with depth next year.
Theo Jackson
Over the last three years with the Vikings, Jackson has only played 221 defensive snaps, yet every time he gets on the field, he does something good. Whether it was picking off Jalen Hurts in 2023 or coming up with a game-ending interception against the Seahawks, he seems to have a nose for the football. That also showed up in training camp, where he ran away with the lead for camp INTs. Jackson’s playmaking ability — though untested in the larger sample — may give the Vikings an answer if they lose Cam Bynum to free agency. They have a lot of similarities as high-IQ players who didn’t quite have the physical traits to be high draft picks. His development may influence how the Vikings approach the position.
Jay Ward
The fourth-round pick did not see much action on defense but he did get a ton of work on special teams. Ward played the fourth most snaps on ‘teams and finished with a solid 70.2 grade. It’s hard to say based on his tiny sample of work whether the Vikings feel Ward has the potential to develop into a role player or more because he’s behind so many talented players but we have seen the development pipeline from special teams safeties into starters bear a lot of fruit over the years, from Andrew Sendejo to Anthony Harris to Josh Metellus.
Free agent options
If the Vikings lose Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum, they might roll with in-house options but they could also look for a free agent replacement to take one of the spots. Here are the available free agents at safety:
Jevon Holland (Miami) — A Brian Flores draft pick who became an instant star as a rookie in 2021 could be the perfect replacement for Smith if he retires. He is coming off a down season but has a track record as a game breaker.
Justin Reid (Kansas City) — Reid’s usage chart would remind you of Josh Metellus. He lines up all over the field and has proven himself as a playmaker for the Chiefs over the last three years. Ranked 11th among safeties by PFF.
Trevon Moehrig (Las Vegas) — A very physical Flores-style player who ranked 4th among safeties in QB pressures and 6th in tackling
Jeremy Chinn (Washington) — Another strong tackler who has improved in coverage over the years. Ranked 21st by PFF
Julian Blackmon (Indianapolis) — Had three picks and ranked 14th in coverage grades
Talanoa Hufanga (San Francisco) — Banged up the last two years, he is the dynamic physical playmaker type that would fit Flores
Andre Cisco (Jacksonville) — Everyone was bad in Jacksonville this year but Cisco has three above average seasons under his belt and he’s only 25
Justin Simmons (Atlanta) — The long-time Bronco played over 1,000 snaps for the Falcons but had a tough season, missing nearly 20% of his attempted tackles and ranking 47th of 64 starters by PFF.
The draft
It would be totally shocking if the Vikings drafted a safety anywhere except the back end of the draft. They have two that have been in development for multiple seasons and tons of free agent options. It’s also possible that the entire band is back together next year.
The bottom line
The Vikings safety room will either need no work or will have a big “Under Construction” sign on it. If Cam Bynum hits the free agent market and Harrison Smith elects to retire, they will have tons of free agent options to replace Bynum, some of which might even be viewed as potential upgrades. Smith’s Hall of Fame-caliber mind for the game and trust from Flores will be very difficult to replace but Josh Metellus is the best suited to shape shift into that type of leadership role. They can also look toward Theo Jackson and Jay Ward as players with upside to become the next Bynum or Metellus. So even if the position is in flux, it’s safe to say that it should find a good landing spot.
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