Barring a swerve early in the 2025 NFL Draft — which is exactly one month away — the Minnesota Vikings will start previously reservist safety Theo Jackson next season.
ESPN Confirms Popular Vikings Offseason Theory
He’ll replace Camryn Bynum, who left town for the Indianapolis Colts two weeks ago, forming a trio with Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus.
When Minnesota locked in the extension for Jackson right before free agency, folks speculated that he would probably start if Bynum left, and then Bynum, indeed, skedaddled, and ESPN confirmed this week that Jackson is “the guy” at safety as a Bynum replacement.
Theo Jackson on Track to Start
In an ESPN power rankings article, the Vikings checked in at No. 10 — pretty fantastic placement — and each team was matched with an “under the radar” offseason move.
Kevin Seifert of ESPN wrote about Jackson for the criteria: “Realizing they were going to lose incumbent starter Camryn Bynum in free agency, the Vikings got his understudy signed and locked down for the next three years. Jackson has been impressive in the past two training camps and in his limited defensive snaps.”
“In exchange for a reasonable deal worth a little more than $9 million, the Vikings secured a replacement for Bynum who has given them every reason to believe he will be an effective starter.”
Fans can pretty much write in ink Jackson’s starter’s job for September.
Jackson’s Bio
Jackson has played 43 games in 3 seasons, with no starts to date, and 47 total tackles, along with 4 passes defended, 2 interceptions, and a QB hit. He’s tabulated a 95.3 passer-rating-against in 43 games. All told, Jackson has played 222 defensive snaps and 875 on special teams since the start of 2022, the dawn of the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell era.
He represented the primary safety move of the Vikings’ offseason, other than an offhanded signing of a man named Bubba Bolden, who may not make the active roster in late August.
Jackson is revered by his current teammates and is known for splashy plays when given the opportunity. The soon-to-be starter logged a sweet 79.2 Pro Football Focus grade in 2024, albeit in a small sample, and his new deal is for three years and $9.3 million.
Jackson said about his extension earlier this month, “Honestly it means everything because the hard work that I’ve put in is finally paying off. It’s something big for me and also my family and for the future. I love it here, and my family loves it here, so I think it’s just big for everyone.”
“Ever since then, it’s been a brotherhood. I really love how the coaches coach me and how the organization treats our families,” added about being welcomed to the Vikings’ locker room with open arms in 2022.
“Ever since then, it’s been a brotherhood,” Jackson said Friday as he signed a multiyear contract extension. “I really love [how the coaches coach me] and how the organization treats our families.”
The 2025 Vikings Safety Room
Heading into the draft, Minnesota maintains a decent safety group, though some will consider the Bynum loss a bit saddening.
These are Flores’ safeties currently connected to the roster:
- Harrison Smith
- Josh Metellus
- Theo Jackson
- Jay Ward
- Bubba Bolden
Most onlookers will be content with that group throughout the rest of the offseason.
What about a Draft Dark Horse?
If ESPN and fans have it all wrong about Jackson as a starter, well, the switcharoo would likely arrive from Round 1 of the draft.
Georgia’s Malaki Starks and Nick Emmanwori of South Carolina are projected to fly off the board sometime in Round 1, and in theory, Minnesota could choose one of the two.
In that case, Jackson would might serve as a “bridge safety” to Starks or Emmanwori, not unlike Sam Darnold at quarterback last season.
Generally speaking, though, most don’t expect the Vikings to spend a 1st-Rounder on a safety. They tried that in 2022, and it flopped with Lewis Cine.
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 MIN 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.