There have been many great defensive linemen in Minnesota Vikings history. From the Purple People Eaters of the ‘70s to Chris Doleman in the early ‘90s, the Williams Wall in the 2000s, Jared Allen, and Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter in the past decade, the line has been a staple of the Vikings’ defense.
But coming into this year’s training camp, the defensive line has a different vibe. In their first year under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the players in the trenches have generated far less discussion than Hunter and Marcus Davenport on the edge, Josh Metellus’ “big nickel” role, or whatever is going on at cornerback.
In some ways, the defensive line has become a forgotten piece of the Vikings’ defense. But it will just as important as Flores looks to stage his reclamation project in Minnesota.
The proof is in who is playing along the line. If I quizzed you right now, you might need to look at the 90-man roster or peek at the unofficial depth chart the Vikings released on Monday morning. But if you weren’t cheating, there’s a good chance that it would take some time to recall the names of Harrison Phillips, Khyiris Tonga, and Dean Lowry.
Phillips is the most recognizable member of the group after signing a three-year deal with the Vikings before last season. A meat-and-potatoes player with the Buffalo Bills’ defense, “Horrible Harry” played a similar role in Minnesota, providing a physical roadblock in the trenches while working to stop the run.
While his overall stats of 59 total tackles and 1.5 sacks don’t show it, Phillips had a solid first season in Minnesota. His pass-rushing numbers aren’t impressive. However, his work against the run was spectacular, ranking 12th in Pro Football Focus’ run defense grades and 13th with a 6.3 missed tackle percentage among qualifying interior linemen.
Tonga is a similar player who came at a much cheaper price. After former Vikings villain Akiem Hicks deemed Tonga’s release from the Chicago Bears a mistake, Tonga found his way onto Minnesota’s practice squad and eventually became part of the Vikings’ rotation.
Like Phillips, Tonga’s calling card is more stuffing the run than rushing the passer. While Tonga ranked 15th in PFF’s run defense grades, he only logged a 7.1 pressure rate. With Phillips logging just a 6% pressure rate last season, the Vikings needed to find someone who could fill that role this offseason.
For now, Lowry is the player expected to fill that role. His game is about as distinct as a Madden avatar, but he’s a player who can start in a pinch. Lowry graded 76th among 99 qualifiers in overall PFF grade last season. However, he logged an 8.6% rate in his final season with the Green Bay Packers.
Those numbers aren’t screaming that the Vikings got a steal by signing Lowry to a two-year, $8.5 million contract last offseason. Still, it’s a more cost-effective solution than signing Dalvin Tomlinson, who got a four-year, $57 million contract.
When looking at this group as a whole, it’s easy to see that the Vikings have at least found three replacement-level players to fill the starting roles. While some could exceed their baselines, it’s fair to wonder what Flores could be looking for at the position in the long term — provided he and his system stick around for more than one season.
The answer could come from the 2019 draft when Christian Wilkins was Flores’ first draft pick with the Miami Dolphins. Wilkins wasn’t the big Vince Wilfork-style mauler that many associate with a 3-4 base defense, but what he lacked in strength he made up for in athleticism.
At 6’3”, 315 lbs., Wilkins posted an 8.55 relative athletic score (RAS) coming out of Clemson. He showed the ability to not just play on the inside but also shift to a traditional defensive end role.
With Flores’ tendency to show multiple looks throughout a game, Wilkins gave his defense a layer of versatility, which is the ultimate goal for what the Vikings’ defense is trending toward.
The only problem is that players like Wilkins aren’t very common. According to MockDraftable, the most recent player to match Wilkins’ athletic profile was Jeoffrey Pagan in 2014. Most of the players on the list like Antonio Johnson, Marcus Harrison, and Randy Starks played in the 2000s.
The best way to counter this is by adding depth, but that’s another issue with Minnesota’s defensive line. After James Lynch tore his ACL during practice last week, the Vikings have three nose tackles listed on their first unofficial depth chart with T.J. Smith and Calvin Avery behind Tonga.
This may force Flores to get creative to get the looks he wants. Think about how Hunter and Davenport can be used in a traditional 4-3 with a player like Wilkins on the inside. Or how a player at Wilkins’ size can clear the way for Brian Asamoah, Jordan Hicks, or even Josh Metellus to get home on a quarterback blitz.
Unlike Ed Donatell, who mainly played a soft Tampa 2 system last season, Flores is willing to shake things up in an effort to confuse the defense. While the back end of the defense will get the headlines, the players in the trenches will do the dirty work but have more of an impact than someone like Shamar Stephen during his tenure with the Vikings.
Time will tell whether the new defensive line – and Flores’ defense – will pan out. But the defensive line is a more important component than it seems, and it could lead to an interesting storyline as the Vikings head into the preseason.
