Defensive coordinator Brian Flores must be happy with his team’s performance on Monday in the contest that ultimately clinched the season series against the Chicago Bears. His unit only allowed the Bears to go 1/12 on third downs and held Caleb Williams and his teammates to 12 points (six against the backup defenders on a short field in the fourth quarter).
Recently Promoted Vikings Defender Is Likely Out on Sunday
A staple of Minnesota’s defensive side of the ball is the efficient run defense. Once again, they held an opposing rusher in check, as D’Andre Swift rushed for 79 yards on 19 carries. Backup Travis Homer added seven yards on three carries. Combined, that’s under four yards per carry to the two running backs.
The heart of that running defense is the defensive line that features veterans Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Bullard, and Jerry Tillery. In the last few weeks, however, one Viking has stolen the show: Jalen Redmond.
On Tuesday, head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that the former UFL standout landed in concussion protocol.
Clearing concussion protocol takes time, and most players are forced to sit out the following game. Considering the short turnaround the Vikings face this week after playing on Monday, Redmond’s availability on Sunday against the Seahawks should be considered a longshot.
Redmond has been a breakout star for the Vikings. He has appeared in 11 games. After subbing in as a reserve in the first nine, he entered the starting unit in the last two. In 161 defensive snaps, Redmond logged 15 tackles, six tackles for loss, and one sack.
His PFF grade of 86.9 is the best among Vikings defenders, and it ranks him fourth among players at his position in the entire league, behind only star players Cam Heyward, Dexter Lawrence, and Chris Jones. His run defense ranks third.
A productive (14 sacks, 31.5 tackles for loss in 36 games) but eventful college career that had him watch almost a full season from the sidelines with blood clots and had him sit out the COVID season because of the same issue, ultimately ended with him entering the league as an undrafted rookie in 2023.
The Panthers waived him after the preseason, and he joined the UFL in 2024, recording four sacks in four games. Minnesota hired the defender in the offseason, and surprisingly, he made the cut when the team announced the 53-man roster. Since then, he has slowly climbed the depth chart.
If he is indeed forced to sit out Sunday’s game, the Vikings will rely on Bullard and Tillery to play some more snaps and perhaps Levi Drake Rodriguez, Minnesota’s seventh-round rookie, would get the first defensive reps of his career (he played against the Colts but only on special teams).
Number 61 is regularly involved when bad things happen to the opposing offense, and his absence would weaken the defense. His status will be updated in the upcoming days.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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