Sep 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jonathan Bullard (90) celebrates his tackle against the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings have a 10-2 record through 13 weeks.
The club has won five straight — almost quietly — after dropping two games to the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams following a Week 6 bye.
Of course, the team’s stars carry the enterprise, but these four Vikings players could use a little more love from fans. They’re ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = needs more love the most).
Bradbury’s run-blocking ranks sixth-best in the NFL among all centers, per Pro Football Focus. He hardly ever gets credit from the team’s fan base for his supreme run-blocking. His pass protection, of course, is suspect, and folks will continue to skewer him for that. He ranks eighth-worst among starting centers.
Minnesota will probably upgrade at center before too long — and rightfully so.
Still, the Vikings’ ground game hasn’t performed well in the last 8 weeks, and if Bradbury weren’t around, the woes would be even worse.
The guy can plow rushing lanes. Remember that.
Josh Oliver broke out as an offensive weapon the moment T.J. Hockenson returned to the lineup — which was odd timing, but nobody complained.
Yet, even before he began performing like a TE1 last month, Oliver always held down the fort via run-blocking, not unlike Bradbury above. He does a lot of the “dirty work,” whereas some merely adjudicate him on receptions and yards.
There’s a lot more to Oliver than that.
For most Vikings loyalists, Bullard seemed like a depth piece when the club refused to invest in an impact defensive tackle.
While that was not wrong initially, Bullard has morphed into a reliable run-stopper and is part of the reason Minnesota’s rushing defense is so fabulous in 2024. He should not be considered “just a guy” anymore; his run defense is vital.
Bullard’s pass-rushing skills aren’t very noteworthy, but his 74.4 Pro Football Focus grade is fantastic.
Redmond has 9 tackles in 9 games, with a sack and 4 tackles for loss. He’s seen the field on just 95 plays, but when defensive coordinator Brian Flores calls his name, he provides a spark. Like clockwork.
Moreover, Redmond’s miniature emergence is vital because Minnesota’s for-now outlook in 2025 at defensive tackle is grim. Three interior defensive linemen are scheduled to be under contract when the offseason arrives: Harrison Phillips, Taki Taimani, and Levi Drake Rodriguez. That’s it.
The Vikings should bring Redmond and his 87.4 PFF score back in 2025.
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.