The Minnesota Vikings enter the bye week in a perfect spot, boasting a 5-0 record and the NFL’s best defense through the first month of the season.
The most impressive part of Minnesota’s dominant start on ‘D’ has been the immediate impact of its new additions.
From Andrew Van Ginkel’s pair of pick-sixes, to Blake Cashman anchoring the second level, to Stephon Gilmore’s resurgent start in his age-34 season, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah appears to have pulled all the right levers in assembling this year’s roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Did Vikings win the 2024 offseason? NFL analyst Tyler Brooke of the 33rd Team seems to think so.
In a recent post examining the five most impactful free agent signings of the 2024 cycle, Brooke ranked Vikings pass rusher Jonathan Greenard No. 1 overall. Here was his full take:
Greenard isn't the first name that comes to mind for critical free agents this year. However, his impact on the Minnesota Vikings defense is a huge reason why they're one of two remaining undefeated teams. Greenard has four sacks and 12 tackles this season. Those aren't jaw-dropping numbers, but it's his consistent ability to generate pressure that has made him such a massive boon to Minnesota's defense.
Greenard's 29 pressures are the second-most in the league behind Aidan Hutchinson. He's had at least five pressures in every game this season, including seven pressures and three quarterback hits on Aaron Rodgers in Sunday's game against the New York Jets in London.
No other player on Minnesota's defense has more than 14 pressures this season. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores runs a scheme that relies on hiding coverages with pre-snap looks while generating pressure fast enough to prevent quarterbacks from diagnosing coverages after the snap. That hasn't been an issue for Greenard.
Without Greenard, it's unlikely that the Vikings have the No. 1 defense by DVOA. His explosiveness off of the snap, play strength, and ability to mix up his pass-rush plan has made him one of the NFL's most disruptive pass rushers.
For as fun as this year's free agent class is, no one is matching Greenard's impact on the Vikings' defense.
It’s telling that the 33rd Team picked Greenard over offensive stalwarts like Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles, Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens, and even former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, now of the Atlanta Falcons.
It goes to show just how impressive the Vikings have been through the first five games of 2024. Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings deserve all the flowers.
