All of the Sudden, A Key Vikings Position Feels a Bit Skimpy

For a little while, safety has been a key Vikings position. Leaning on an all-time great in Harrison Smith can do that. Plus, Brian Flores happens to have a proclivity for the position since it often boasts versatile talents.

Is there enough in-house depth?

The current outlook is suddenly looking a bit dicier. Losing veteran Jamal Adams for the season hurts. So, too, is it at least somewhat concerning to see rookie Jakobe Thomas missing some time due to a minor back issue. Can the remaining talent be leaned on to shoulder the load for the Vikings?

A Key Vikings Position Now Feeling Thin

To begin, there’s some merit in the recognition that corner is looking as deep as it has ever been with Coach Flores as the DC.

Both of CB1 Byron Murphy Jr. and CB2 Isaiah Rodgers are returning. Solid start. There’s then CB3 James Pierre (free agency add) alongside CB4 Chuck Demmings (5th Round draft selection) to further shore up the position. Adding these long-and-strong options for the boundary helps to give the defensive playcaller options when opting for nickel and dime packages.

Better yet, sophomore Zemaiah Vaughn has generated some hype due to building up his body. And then there’s still Dwight McGlothern hanging around. Getting to a solid crew of five CBs shouldn’t be too difficult.

Go ahead and consider what the safety depth currently looks like post-Adams injury:

• Josh Metellus
• Theo Jackson
• Jay Ward
• Jakobe Thomas
• Tavierre Thomas
• Kahlef Hailassie
• Jacob Thomas

Quite possibly, that’s going to be enough to get the job done. After all, the corner talent is deeper than in years past. Furthermore, the linebacker position sits in a nice spot with all of Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, Jake Golday, and Ivan Pace around. Seeing these positions stuffed with options helps to insulate the defense more broadly.

But then there’s another factor: Metellus and Jackson are coming off down seasons. Ward is promising but hasn’t been a full-time starter since going pro. Jakobe Thomas is battling a small health ailment that will hopefully remain so: small. Assuming the best with health, does Thomas become a strong player as a rookie?

Generally speaking, finding safety talent isn’t particularly difficult. Adams had just been added at the beginning of training camp, coming to the Twin Cities for cheap. Could something similar occur with a different player? Or, perhaps, is there a willingness to dip into the trade market for somebody?

The wild card all along has been Harrison Smith, the veteran who has gone from excellent down to solid. Where he still adds so much value is as somebody who is incredibly smart and still super versatile.

Rolling with the in-house options at safety could end up being just fine but Minnesota is playing with fire. Essentially, the hope is that nobody at the top gets hurt, but that’s never a sure thing for a sport like NFL football.

Per Over the Cap, the Vikings still have more than $22 million in cap space. The actual amount that’s free and clear is smaller due to the offseason’s top-51 cutoff. Regardless, there’s enough open room to do business.

The Vikings host the Ravens for joint practices this week. Watch for some updates on the safety talent and try not to be too upset about seeing the excellent football that inevitably arises from Kyle Hamilton.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.