3 Vikings Starters Who Could Hit the Bench
If one were to assess the Minnesota Vikings a grade through five games, that would probably be in the B-range. Some players have underperformed, so much so that they could risk bench assignments sometime this season. Here’s a peek at three of those players.
Speaking theoretically, three Vikings starters could visit the bench soon. These are those three players, with 12 games to go in 2025.
The Vikings will host the Philadelphia Eagles this week, so the time is now for the following three players to change the narrative. The schedule emphatically does not get any easier from here on out.
3 Vikings Starters in Real Danger of Losing Their Jobs
For different reasons, these men’s jobs could be swiped.
1. Ivan Pace Jr. | LB
Pace Jr. has produced a missed tackle percentage of 15.8%, which is alarming. As a rookie, that mark was just 6.4%, climbing to 10.0% in 2024. The 15.8% is probably too much to stomach for the long haul.
Meanwhile, Blake Cashman will return to the lineup this week, with his replacement, Eric Wilson, presumably returning to the bench. Pace Jr.’s struggles have been so pronounced that some have speculated that Wilson may remain in the starting lineup while Pace Jr. hits the bench or experiences a reduced workload.
Still, Pace Jr. rushes the passer more often than Wilson or Cashman, which might actually work against Wilson in the rotation. Stylistically, Wilson’s game mirrors Cashman’s more than Pace Jr.’s, and the numbers back that up — Wilson’s logged just three quarterback pressures this year compared to Pace Jr.’s nine. Run defense has also been an issue for Wilson. He can fill in when needed, but it’s not a plug-and-play swap.
If Wilson doesn’t take over for Pace Jr., the Vikings could promote a linebacker from the practice squad, such as Sione Takitaki, or explore free agency for players like Eric Kendricks, Josey Jewell, or De’Vondre Campbell. There’s also the trade route, with the deadline approaching in about two weeks.
2. Harrison Smith | S
Reporters asked Brian Flores if he anticipated Smith’s usage increasing in the near future.
Flores replied, “I think we’re kind of evaluating that and talking about it as a staff. I think he’s been in some of the dime roles, more of the third down kind of obvious pass situations.”
“And I think Theo and Metellus are playing well and I think we’re in a space where potentially we could play him a little bit more, but I think it’s going to be by gameplan what we need from him this particular week, and it’s like that for everybody. So we’ll see. We’re kind of still putting that all together now.”
Pressed for more information, Flores added, “Well, I mean, I think we’re still, again, working back in a lot of ways. I would say nothing’s changed from that standpoint as far as his importance to the defense, to the team.”
“But I think there’s some things that I think he’s still working his way back, and we’ll work with him and get him out there as much as we possibly can, but it’s a long season also, and I think we’ve got to be smart about him and some of our older, more veteran players.”
A longtime starter, Smith has not started a game (of three eligible) for the 2025 Vikings. He’ll probably rebound to his starting workload, but that just hasn’t happened yet, so this is your gentle warning that he could be closer to a role player in Year No. 14.
3. Adam Thielen | WR
Thielen has 4 receptions and 37 yards — in five games. The Vikings brought him back via trade in the summer to play a WR2 or WR3 role. That has not occurred.
Without a resurgence, Thielen’s post will continue to give way for Jalen Nailor and perhaps rookie Tai Felton to take more snaps. Thielen has started three of five games for the 2025 club, and sooner rather than later, he might just officially become the WR4 or WR5.
In the trade that brought Thielen to Minnesota in August, the Vikings also picked up a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder, sending a 2026 fifth and 2027 fourth to Carolina in return. The Panthers will keep that 2027 fourth-round pick — and by then, Thielen will almost certainly be retired. When that draft rolls around, fans will connect that missing pick right back to the Thielen deal.
To his credit, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah softened the blow by adding the extra late-rounders, keeping the overall draft balance intact. Still, if fans had known Thielen wouldn’t produce even WR2 numbers while Jordan Addison served his suspension to start the season, this deal would’ve been torched from the start. Trading a fourth-round pick for a quiet stat line is a tough bargain.
There’s still time to reshape the narrative. A solid finish or clutch moments down the stretch could flip how this trade is remembered. Until that happens, though, it sits somewhere between optimism and regret — leaning heavily toward the latter.
Thielen needs some monster games.
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