PFF Names the Bounce Back Guy for Vikings
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy? Cornerback Mekhi Blackmon? Those are the top-of-mind bounce back candidates for the 2025 Minnesota Vikings.
PFF found a bounce back candidate for each NFL team last week, and the Vikings were not excluded.
But not according to Pro Football Focus, a website that detailed a bounce back player apiece for each NFL team last week.
PFF says defensive tackle Javon Hargrave for the purple team.
Javon Hargrave Gets the Nod as Vikings’ Bounce Back Candidate
Among examples like Christian McCaffrey for the San Francisco 49ers and Breece Hall for the New York Jets, PFF’s Dalton Wasserman claimed newcomer DT Javon Hargrave as Minnesota’s top bounce back option.
Wasserman explained, “Hargrave played just 104 snaps in 2024 before a torn triceps sidelined him for the remainder of the season. In the three years prior, he posted a 92.4 pass-rush grade, a 13.2% pressure rate and a 16.6% pass-rush win rate, all of which ranked in the top four among qualified interior defenders over that span.”
“He now joins a Minnesota defensive front that finished 29th in pass-rush grade from interior defenders last season. Hargrave should have plenty of opportunities to make his presence felt in 2025.”
The Vikings also signed fellow defensive tackle Jonathan Allen this offseason, another player hoping to return from full-strength following a 2024 injury.
PFF’s Criteria
For clarity, here’s how PFF assessed its bounce back criteria: “Every team enters the 2025 NFL season with at least one player they’re counting on to rebound after a disappointing 2024, whether due to underperformance, injury or a mix of both. From veterans looking to regain form to young talents aiming to fulfill their potential, here’s one bounce-back candidate for each team ahead of the new season.”
Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys also received a mention, along with Trevor Lawrence from the Jacksonville Jaguars, two quarterbacks who succumbed to season-ending injuries a season ago.
Why Must Hargrave Bounce Back in the First Place?
With the 49ers last season, hoping to continue momentum from a 2023 Pro Bowl nod, Hargrave tore his triceps last September.
He played just three games in 2024 before hitting injured reserve in a season when San Francisco’s operations veered off the rails because of — you guessed it — injuries.
And when Hargrave turned to the offseason, the 49ers cut him, causing his free-agent sweepstakes, which the Vikings won for $30 million over two years. Hargrave is actually one of the league’s most durable defensive tackles, and he’ll hope to get back on track with the Vikings in three months.
A New Era at DT for the Vikings
Before the 2025 offseason, the Vikings rarely prioritized the defensive tackle spot in free agency or the draft, typically promoting players like Shamar Stephen, Jonathan Bullard, and Armon Watts over the last half-decade to starters’ jobs.
This year is different.
Minnesota signed at the aforementioned Allen and inked Hargrave on the same March day. Six weeks later, the Vikings drafted interior defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins from Georgia.
Suddenly, iDL is a priority for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
PurplePTSD’s Take on Hargrave
Janik Eckardt wrote about Hargrave last week in fine detail: “Hargrave, a player who had been durable all his career, played only three games in 2024. In all eight of his previous NFL seasons, Hargrave logged at least 15 games, so it’s easy to see why the Vikings trust him to stay healthy this year. The defensive lineman signed a two-year deal worth $30 million.”
“After multiple years of underwhelming playmaking ability along the interior defensive line, the Vikings finally addressed the matter and signed not only one but two former Pro Bowlers. Jonathan Allen will join Hargrave in the middle and hopefully provide more pass-rush than the Vikings have had, perhaps since Kevin Williams left over a decade ago. Hargrave comes to the Twin Cities with a sweet nickname: Gravedigger. It’s a fitting name.”
Hargrave turned 32 in February.
Eckardt added, “Firstly, ‘Grave’ is part of his name, and secondly, he can get after the QB. Hargrave produced seasons with 52, 57, and 61 QB pressures between 2021 and 2023. Just for context, each of those numbers would’ve ranked him ahead of Andrew Van Ginkel, only behind Jonathan Greenard on the 2024 Vikings. He has played in 130 career games, tabulating 45.5 sacks and 380 tackles along the way, playing for the Steelers (2016-2019), Eagles (2020-2022), and 49ers (2023-2024). Hargrave is a two-time Pro Bowler.”
“The lineman is 32 years old, but he was still a game-changer in the 2023 campaign. It remains to be seen how good he is once he returns from his injury, but it’s a reasonable bet to make for Minnesota.”
For what it’s worth, fans will, indeed, hope that Hargrave returns to his purest form, but most will hope that J.J. McCarthy steals any “bounce back” headlines. The Vikings’ golden boy missed his entire rookie campaign with a torn meniscus.
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