Brian Flores Pounds the Table for One Unsung Viking
A trivia question — do you remember the Minnesota Vikings’ very first free-agent move five months ago?
Brian Flores Pounds the Table for One Unsung Viking
His name was Theo Jackson, a safety, and he re-signed in February. Now, folks are learning why his return was a priority.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores showered praise on Jackson Tuesday, the team’s fourth or fifth safety on the depth chart. “There’s been an incredible amount of growth, an incredible amount of just improvement. That’s probably the best term to use for him, improvement,” Flores told reporters when asked about the young defender.
Selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 6th Round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Jackson joined the Vikings in October 2022 and has played in 26 games since. His role spiked in 2023 after predominantly serving as a special teams asset in 2022, seeing the field on 126 defensive snaps last season. Jackson also accounted for 260 special teams plays in 2023.
“Anyone who watches Theo work, from a meeting standpoint, from a training standpoint, from just an understanding of concepts and a knowledge of the game, I think he’s starting to put a lot of things together,” Flores continued. “And he’s growing in confidence, which that comes with preparation and he prepares the right way. And it’s showing up on the field.”
As a sophomore in purple, Jackson banked 21 total tackles, a QB hit, a pass defended, and a memorable interception at the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. The Vikings’ 2023 safety room was incredibly deep per most teams’ standards, showcasing Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, Camryn Bynum, and Lewis Cine, so Jackson standing out, in general, was quite noteworthy.
And the Vikings secondary will need all the help it can get in 2024 for a couple of reasons. First, cornerbacks Mekhi Blackmon and Shaquill Griffin encountered injuries within the last week. Blackmon will miss all of 2024 with a torn ACL, and Griffin is week-to-week with a hamstring problem. Secondarily, Minnesota’s defense ranked 32nd per completion percentage allowed last year, meaning opposing quarterbacks completed passes at will in 2023 versus the purple team.
Men like Jackson will be required to fix it.
The Tennessee alumnus graded a 67.6 mark from Pro Football Focus and is now on tap to vie for an even more meaningful role on defense. The versatile defender played 47 games in college at the University of Tennessee, recording 190 total tackles, 17 passes defended, 12 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, a fumble recovery, and a touchdown. Jackson also earned 2nd-Team All-SEC Honors in 2021.
Generally speaking, the Vikings’ defense rode a rollercoaster in 2023, Brian Flores’ first year in charge. The unit sputtered out of the gate in the first three games, became the best defense in football per EPA/Play from Weeks 4 through 14, and collapsed thereafter — disqualifying Minnesota from the postseason as a result.
Jackson, who will turn 26 in October, seems like a shoo-in to make the 53-man roster on August 27th.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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