3 Potential Vikings Breakout Candidates in 2025

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Photographs.

Not each participant is a rookie sensation. For some, the journey takes longer, and the grind to change into a longtime participant on the NFL degree may be powerful.

There are three potential Vikings breakout candidates for this yr who I imagine have the potential to step up into an elevated function.

3 Potential Vikings Breakout Candidates in 2025

I’m trying previous final yr’s rookie class and at gamers who’ve been within the league for at the very least two years and might be set to emerge in Yr 3 or later. That is much like Josh Metellus, who solely began to make severe strides in purple in his third season earlier than turning into some of the necessary males on Brian Flores’ protection within the final two seasons.

Jalen Redmond (DT)

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Photographs.

The Vikings signed Jalen Redmond, a participant who didn’t make the grade on the worst workforce in soccer — the Carolina Panthers. Expectations have been low when he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023, adopted by a stint within the XFL with the Arlington Renegade. Redmond battled his means onto the roster in Minnesota and onto the sector, together with a few video games as a chosen starter, as his function elevated later within the season.

Undoubtedly one of many shock success tales of final season, Redmond is an intriguing prospect for the 2025 season.

Throughout 13 video games, which noticed Redmond play 208 defensive snaps, he had 18 tackles, together with 6 tackles for loss and 1 sack, whereas additionally having 2 move deflections. There was all the time expertise in Redmond, however his school profession at Oklahoma was disrupted by blood clot points, which noticed him miss two seasons early in his collegiate profession.

With these issues seemingly behind him and a slight tweak in place from defensive finish to the inside, Redmond impressed on his option to a 77.2 total grade from Professional Soccer Focus final season. If Redmond can sustain that degree of play in an prolonged function all through a 17-game season, Kevin O’Connell’s workforce may have discovered a diamond within the tough for his or her protection.

Mekhi Blackmon (CB)

Minnesota cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (5) and the Minnesota Vikings have a good time an interception within the third quarter of a Week 15 NFL soccer sport between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Bengals received 27-24 in extra time. © Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK.

Having proven some promising indicators in his rookie season, Mekhi Blackmon missed all final season after struggling a season-ending knee damage at the start of coaching camp. Presently, with all of the cornerbacks on the high of the Vikings depth chart final season out of contract, Blackmon is arguably on the high of the depth chart in Minnesota proper now.

Additions will likely be made, however Blackmon may nonetheless be poised for a major function within the rotation, if not as a starter. Flores likes to get numerous defensive backs onto the sector.

Blackmon was a third-round choose in 2023 and performed in 15 video games, together with three begins in his rookie season. He appeared to have an opportunity to push for a starter’s function in 2024, with the Vikings not bringing in any main names for the CB place as coaching camp began. Harm stopped any likelihood of that, and Minnesota would ultimately signal veteran Stephon Gilmore to a one-year deal. Blackmon must be desperate to make up for misplaced time and, on the very least, show himself a part of the answer for the Vikings’ CB downside.

Theo Jackson

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Flores’ protection might be set to lose each of its beginning safeties, with Harrison Smith presumably contemplating retirement and Cam Bynum on the finish of his rookie contract and taking a look at a payday — in Minnesota or elsewhere. Metellus may drop again into a type of two roles, however I’d anticipate him to maintain the hybrid function in protection, which he’s had a lot success with. That leaves the Vikings in search of solutions on the security place.

The reply may already be on the roster, with Theo Jackson and Jay Ward ready within the wings for the purple and gold workforce.

The extra skilled Jackson, who got here into the league a yr earlier than Ward, would appear to be the subsequent man up. Jackson has loved extra enjoying time and has a few interceptions to his title.

PFF gave him a really respectable 79.2 total grade for his efforts in 2024. It’s an enormous bounce to a starter function, however Jackson ought to at the very least be pushing for extra enjoying time this season.