Vikings Starter Appears to Have Been Quietly Demoted
No grand announcement has accompanied the change, but Minnesota Vikings safety Theo Jackson has been demoted, at least temporarily.
Minnesota’s defensive snap distribution told a louder story than any press conference, as Jackson’s usage dipped sharply while other safeties rotated into key situations.
The first-year starter (but seasoned NFL veteran) did not play on defense Sunday night, an upset win over the Dallas Cowboys, and Jackson did not carry an injury designation into the contest. Jackson has been benched — evidently.
Theo Jackson’s Role Suddenly Changed
He could reenter the starting lineup at some point, but no action at Dallas was odd.
Jackson Unexpectedly a Non-Factor at AT&T Stadium
Four days ago, CBS Sports published this on Jackson’s injury status: “Theo Jackson (neck) was a full participant in Thursday’s practice. Jackson upgraded to full participation after being limited in practice Wednesday.”
“The safety has been cleared of the injury designation that forced him to miss consecutive weeks, and he is good to go for Sunday’s contest against the Cowboys. His return means diminished opportunities for Fabian Moreau and Jay Ward, who shared snaps at slot cornerback in Jackson’s absence.”
Jackson was good to go per injury standards by the end of the week, completely removed from the Week 15 injury report by Friday afternoon.
Then, he didn’t play on defense in Dallas. Jackson logged 9 special teams snaps, and that was that.
Jay Ward Takes His Spot
Minnesota mostly rolled with two safeties — Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus — but when the time came for a third, Brian Flores inserted Ward into the lineup. Ward is a hard-hitting, hungry safety in his third year, and he could be on the cusp of more playing time.
Ward only played 11 snaps at Dallas, but that was 11 more than Jackson. And Jackson was penned as the starter on the depth chart until a couple of weeks ago.
If the trend continues, Ward will continue to audition for a meaningful role in 2026.
Injured in Week 14
Of course, Jackson was injured with a neck ailment in Week 14 against the Washington Commanders. There’s a chance that Minnesota is merely guiding him back into action with patience in mind. It’s just that he probably would have been ruled out due to injury and not practiced fully last week.
A similar situation occurred for Flores’ defense a couple of months ago. Eric Wilson filled in for Blake Cashman at linebacker, and when Cashman healed, Flores benched Ivan Pace Jr. in favor of Wilson.
Fans could be witnessing Ward’s quiet takeover. Otherwise, Jackson will probably see snaps next weekend at the New York Giants. Keep an eye on the “other safety” next to Smith and Metellus on Sunday at noon.
Under Contract through End of 2027
To a small extent — $3.1 million per season — the Vikings are invested in Jackson through the end of 2027. He signed an extension during the offseason, just a few days before Camryn Byum signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
The team saw something in him over the last few seasons that led to a multi-year contract extension. His roster spot should be safe in 2026 as a depth safety, at worst.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned Smith will probably retire next month, thrusting the Vikings into action to find a replacement. It’s why Ohio State’s Caleb Downs is a popular mock draft target right now, perhaps the best defensive player in the 2026 draft pool.
The 2026 safety room could look something like Metellus, Downs, Jackson, and Ward.
Once Forecasted as the “X-Factor”
Heading into the regular season four months ago, ESPN’s Ben Solak named Jackson a possible x-factor for the Vikings.
He explained, “Bynum left for Indianapolis on a big free agent deal, leaving Jackson to fill his shoes. Jackson has taken fewer than 200 defensive snaps combined over the previous two campaigns.”
“But he has been lauded for his preparation in the Vikings’ building, where he was the primary backup safety for all three of Josh Metellus, Bynum and Harrison Smith — three very different roles. Flores has enjoyed having a reliable safety blanket in Bynum, who allowed him to call many of his more aggressive blitzes; if Jackson can offer the same production, expect Minnesota’s D to keep chugging.”
And SI.com‘s Will Ragatz on Jackson in August: “From coaches to teammates, everyone asked about Jackson this offseason has had nothing but good things to say about the fourth-year safety. His work on the scout team and on special teams has prepared him for this opportunity.”
“It’s no fluke that Jackson has two career interceptions in limited playing time and was one of the Vikings’ most impressive players during training camp.”
Jackson has a 65.7 Pro Football Focus grade in his first season as a starter. Fairly decent.
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