A Vikings Defender Is Happy About His New Timeshare
Right after the playoff defeat, head coach Kevin O’Connell addressed the media, saying the club would have to fix the interior offensive line. A few weeks later, at the annual scouting combine, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah shared some similar thoughts for the defensive front.
Less Playing Time Could Be Key for 1 Vikings Defender
“To play January football, there’s a certain way you’ve got to play. You’ve got to be able to control the ball, and be able to get after the passer with just four. We need to get better and will,” Adofo-Mensah told the media at the annual draft combine.
Under Adofo-Mensah, the Vikings got bounced from playoff contention in the first round twice in three years, and the lack of interior pass rush surely played a role. So they addressed it this offseason by acquiring not just one but two veteran interior linemen with Pro Bowls on their resumes.
Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave are both in their 30s, but they should still have a year or two left in the tank to bolster the interior line. In the last couple of seasons, Minnesota’s defensive line was led by Harrison Phillips, who played with a bunch of rotational guys next to him.
The two newcomers are massive upgrades, and their presence allows the Vikings to sub out Phillips more often. The veteran lineman and team captain was asked about those two, and he seems to enjoy their onboarding.
“The three of us are older players,” said Phillips, who is entering his eighth NFL season, “so I think anytime you can go out there and platoon in three to five to six-play roles, you can really attack with waves, and because of the depth we have, we’ll truly have waves we can throw.”
Keeping players fresh is essential at every position, but especially relevant on the defense line, where 300-pound players have to go full speed every play, whether it is a pass or a run.
That brings us directly to the Philadelphia Eagles, whose deep defensive line rotation with various Pro Bowl-caliber players helped them capture another Super Bowl this February. Jordan Davis hasn’t come close to 50% of the defensive snaps in any of his three seasons, and Milton Williams was the hot ticket in this year’s free agency despite never playing a full-time role either. Only Jalen Carter played most of the time.
It’s impossible to replicate that level of defensive line, but an improved unit is a good start. Phillips should get more breathers in 2025.
He added, “I’d imagine we’ll share snap counts a little more. I think I was playing [70]-something percent one year I was here; I don’t see that happening.”
During his four years in Buffalo, he had difficulty maintaining his health. After his rookie season, the most defensive snaps he played in a single year were in 2021, where he logged 474 snaps over 14 games. This amounted to 55% of the defensive snaps during the games he was healthy.
Since joining the Vikings, Phillips has participated in all 51 regular-season games and both postseason contests. In the regular seasons, he recorded 694, 839, and 675 defensive snaps over the three years. His peak in 2023 was notable, as he played an impressive 74% of defensive snaps, while his participation during the other two years was around 60%.
The reason for that was simply the lack of playmakers along the line. He was the team’s top run-stuffer and the only one who could’ve pushed the pocket in the passing game. With Allen and Hargrave in the mix, that should change.
Phillips is a big fan of his two new teammates: “They obviously have a few tricks up their sleeve that have helped them do it,” he said. “From a pass rush standpoint, they have some things that are being coached by them that I haven’t really had coached to me before. … Pass-rush moves they’ve had a lot of success with and counters off those.”
Hargrave has 45.5 career sacks, Allen 42. Phillips has gotten eight so far, with three coming in 2024 alone.
But a three-man rotation still isn’t enough depth. The good news is that last year’s undrafted rookie Taki Taimani showcased his skills in the running game, while Jalen Redmond was a playmaker later in the year. Levi Drake Rodriguez and potential pass-rush specialist and rookie Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins hope for some reps, too.
The interior rush has the potential to change the defensive unit, as they don’t have to rely on blitzes as much and become more versatile.
A lower snap count should help Phillips play with a little more juice. He’s 29 years old and his contract runs through 2026.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
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