Another Vikings Starter Lost for the Season
First, it was Jonathan Greenard. He’s gone for the season, opting for season-ending shoulder surgery this week. Then, safety Josh Metellus followed suit. The veteran defender will undergo — you guessed it — season-ending shoulder surgery.
Metellus has been Minnesota’s Swiss Army knife in Flores’ defense, and his absence instantly shifts responsibilities to the next tier of safeties and nickel options.
Metellus won’t return in the final three games, getting himself ready for Week 1 of 2026, perhaps when the Vikings will have a bit more optimism.
How Brian Flores Replaces Josh Metellus without Breaking the Secondary
Longtime Viking presses the button on surgery.
All She Wrote in 2025 for Metellus
Metellus will not return this season; the Vikings tapped him on the good shoulder this week, telling him to shut it down the rest of the way.
Associated Press announced, “Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, ending his season early for shoulder surgery after playing with the injury for the last three weeks. Metellus, who signed a three-year, $36 million contract extension before the season, had 86 tackles, a career-high six passes defensed and two interceptions in 14 games for the Vikings (6-8).”
“Metellus has never before missed time because of an injury over six seasons in the NFL, last sitting out a game in 2021 on the COVID-19 reserve list. The 2020 sixth-round draft pick out of Michigan was on the practice squad for the opener of his rookie year.”
Barring an unforeseen change of plans that would involve a roster release or trade, the next time Vikings fans will see Metellus will be about nine months from now when the club opens the 2026 campaign.
A Down Year
Metellus has not played to his typical standard this season; perhaps the shoulder has bugged him for quite some time. Pro Football Focus is especially critical of him.
Here’s the PFF tale of the tape since Metellus turned pro in 2020:
- 2020: 43.3
- 2021: 66.0
- 2022: 85.1
- 2023: 69.2
- 2024: 65.2
- 2025: 55.4
Per PFF, Metellus has basically been “just a guy,” with his pass coverage checking in especially low at 46.8. Metellus will heal over the next several months and hopes to return to his dependable Swiss Army knife form. To the eye test and according to PFF, it’s a down year for the longtime Viking.
Metellus has also surrendered 4 touchdowns this season; he allowed one on his watch in all of 2024.
Metellus’ Fill-Ins
Who’s on tap with Metellus out? Well, there’s Harrison Smith, whose career is likely coming to an end. He’s not exiting the lineup just yet, and in fact, will probably play his final road game this Sunday at New York.
The Vikings also have Theo Jackson at safety, the proposed starting solution for 2025, when former Vikings defensive back Camryn Bynum signed with the Indianapolis Colts during the offseason. Jackson will be featured much more with no Metellus in the mix, though Minnesota curiously benched Jackson altogether last week.
Jay Ward, too, has earned playing time as of late, taking Jackson’s snaps last week and showing a hard-hitting style when afforded opportunities by defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Veteran Tavierre Thomas could also see a little action on defense. A man named Kahlef Hailassie lives on the practice squad; he could be activated as early as this weekend to replace Metellus. Hailassie has a momentous preseason game in August, with a couple of nifty interceptions.
Defense Should Be Fine
Generally speaking, because Metellus has played at a pedestrian level in 2025, Flores’ defense should be just fine in the remaining three games. There’s also the element of importance: Minnesota was disqualified from the postseason last weekend. Contests against the Giants, Detroit Lions, and Green Bay Packers don’t mean much, besides ending the season on a high note.
Ward and Hailassie will have a chance to stand off the page and perhaps audition for life after Harrison Smith, which will probably arrive sooner rather than later.
The Vikings’ defense ranks ninth in the NFL entering Week 16 per EPA/Play.
Head Coach Kevin O’Connell on Metellus
O’Connell said about Metellus on Wednesday, “We had just been evaluating that shoulder on a week-in-week-out basis and got home late Sunday, and through some of the medical evaluations on Monday and yesterday, it’s been determined that he’s gonna get his shoulder fixed as well. Just not stable enough from a medical perspective.”
“Our medical staff feels like this is the right time to not risk possibly injuring it anymore and go ahead and get that thing fixed. Kind of along the same lines as Jonathan Greenard, one of our captains and a guy I could not respect more than the toughness he’s shown playing with that injury.”
Metellus has never missed a game due to injury, aside from a COVID game in 2021.
O’Connell concluded, “As we’ve kind of approached the tail end of the season and just pushed through a lot this year, continuing to lead at such a high standard.”
The skipper also said Metellus and Greenard will be “heavily involved in the locker room” from here on out.
Metellus will turn 28 next month and is under contract with the Vikings through the end of 2028.
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