Vikings Defense Draws Eye-Opening Summer Praise
Entering the last few regular seasons, national media failed to recognize the Minnesota Vikings defense as a possibly intimidating unit.
Most fans believe that the Vikings defense will perform well in 2025, but one outfit has come along this week with even higher praise.
That has now changed.
Led by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the Vikings defense soared to new heights in 2024, ranking second per EPA/Play and enabling the Vikings to post a 14-3 record, along with a reclamation season from quarterback Sam Darnold.
Fast forward to June 2025, and folks are now taking notice of Flores’ group.
Pro Football Network Ranks Vikings Defense at No. 3
Pro Football Network ranked all NFL defenses this week, and the Vikings yanked down the No. 3 spot.
PFN’s Kyle Soppe explained, “Minnesota finished 2024 as our third-ranked defense, their first finish better than 20th since 2019. The result sticks out, but the process to get there doesn’t — they’ve now led the league in blitz rate in consecutive seasons.”
“Notably, the defense dialed back its aggression a bit last season. The unit’s sack rate rose meaningfully, a sign that they are getting better at executing this scheme. This is a scary thought for the rest of the league, and something that will need to continue to be the case with a first-year starter under center.”
The Denver Broncos checked in at No. 1 and the Philadelphia Eagles right ahead of the purple team.
Alas, Some Respect for Vikings Defense
As recently as last offseason, national ranking entities forecasted Flores’ men for mediocrity, probably because the main pass rusher, Danielle Hunter, left in free agency for the Houston Texans.
But general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah responded by signing free-agent EDGE rushers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, totally filling the void left by Hunter. Consequently, the Vikings defense did not flounder after Hunter’s exit, despite a middling projection from national pundits.
This go-round, folks realize that the Vikings’ defense is legitimate.
2025 Offseason Improvements
In fact, the group could improve.
Adofo-Mensah signed two new defensive tackles, Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. He also onboarded cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, who could be sitting on the brink of a breakout season. Safety Camryn Bymum left in March for the Indianapolis Colts, but the Vikings promoted Theo Jackson, whom the coaching staff adores.
And 2024 1st-Rounder Dallas Turner is in line for increased playing time.
It will be challenging to replicate the second-best ranking in the NFL. It’s possible, however.
The Numbers under Kevin O’Connell
Here’s the defensive skinny under head coach Kevin O’Connell:
Vikings Defense,
NFL Ranking,
Per DVOA:
2022 = 24th
2023 = 11th
2024 = 2nd
2025 = TBD
Who’s Better than the Vikings Defense?
About the Broncos outranking the Vikings, Soppe opined, “The Denver offense gets plenty of attention because of its young quarterback and creative head coach, but this defense was as good as it got from start to finish a season ago, after grading 23rd in Defense+ in 2023. Patrick Surtain II is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and projects to stifle pass games for a long time.”
“The Broncos also showed a lack of compliance during the draft, as they not only added Jahdae Barron (a corner out of Texas) with the 20th overall pick but also a pair of high-pedigree edge rushers in the middle of the proceedings. This is the gold standard for defense right now, and that doesn’t appear likely to change given the roster they’ve constructed.”
Sopper on the Eagles at No. 2: “Consistency is vital in any profession, but the 2024 Eagles proved that you can reach the ultimate goal if you run hot. By our metrics, they’ve been as volatile as any unit in the sport: 23rd in Defense+ in 2021, sixth in 2022, and 30th in 2023 before a runner-up finish in 2024. If you’re going to be all over the map like this, your good must be excellent, and that was the case last season.”
“Philly posted the second-lowest blitz rate in the league (16.2% compared to a league average of 25.2%), which worked last year. Still, it’s fair to wonder about the sustainability of that with defensive end Josh Sweat taking his talents to Arizona this offseason.”
The New England Patriots (No. 30), Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 31), and Carolina Panthers (No. 32) found the cellar in the PFN rankings.
Report Reveals Vikings’ Real Plan at QB
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