Minnesota Vikings mailbag: Last year's top five defense looks significantly different and one playmaker stands out above the rest
The Minnesota Vikings defense is going to be a very interesting team to watch heading into the 2025 season. They were a top-five unit last year, but are projected to have up to five new starters. Of all the position groups, the biggest intrigue is on the defensive line, as the Vikings brought in multiple […]
The Minnesota Vikings defense is going to be a very interesting team to watch heading into the 2025 season. They were a top-five unit last year, but are projected to have up to five new starters.
Of all the position groups, the biggest intrigue is on the defensive line, as the Vikings brought in multiple players to fix the unit moving forward.
Jonathan Allen will be biggest X-factor
With the Vikings having a revamped defensive line, who will make the biggest impact?
Because of how the Vikings have their defense structured, we won't be talking about the edge rusher group. The defensive line is anchored by Harrison Phillips, who was the only one to play over 50% of the snaps.
What Phillips brings to the table isn't necessarily high-level play, but he gives the Vikings both consistency and stability. Phillips has been playing mostly at nose tackle, but he can maneuver all throughout the defensive line.
The Vikings have some intriguing depth pieces in Levi Drake Rodriguez, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Taki Taimani, and Jalen Redmond, but this comes down to two different players: Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, and both players are coming off major injuries.
Hargrave is more of an explosive pass rushing option than a well rounded player. He is a quick penetrator who can get in the backfield with ease. The biggest issue with Hargrave's game is playing the run. He doesn't handle double teams that well, nor does he thrive in holding up at the point of attack and two-gapping.
This is why my choice is Jonathan Allen. I'm not going to say that he's a stout two-gapper like Phillips is, but he is capable of doing so. Plus, the pass rush juice is still there. Against the Detroit Lions in the playoffs, Allen had a whopping seven pressures in a massive win for the Commanders, and he did so coming off of a partially torn pectoral where he missed 10 games.
With Allen coming in, he is going to be a pivotal player in how defensive coordinator Brian Flores structures his pass rushes. Allen can win with power and finesse, and as you see above, his elite hump move. Pair him with the likes of Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner with twists and stunts, and there are going to be a lot of positives with Allen this year.
The key is going to be keeping Allen healthy, and that's been a major benefit for the Vikings with their training staff being at such a high level.
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