The Minnesota Vikings’ defense has been retooled to get the team back in the postseason, with some players the NFL needs to watch out for.
Minnesota added Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on the defensive line during the offseason. The secondary saw a makeover with Cam Bynum and Stephon Gilmore heading to free agency. Instead, the Vikings signed Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Rodgers at cornerback.
The Vikings added Eric Wilson to the team at linebacker in free agency. The team currently has Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard off the edges. They also have Ivan Pace Jr. as one of the inside linebackers. Pace’s partner is not being talked about as often as people should.
PFF writer Jonathon Macri picked one player from each NFL team as the most underrated player. Macri went with starting inside linebacker Blake Cashman for the Vikings after his rise to starter over the last two years.
“Cashman is a relative unknown in the league as a former fifth-round pick who, outside of his rookie season and prior to becoming a starter in 2023, had failed to crack 150 defensive snaps in three straight years.”
“However, Cashman broke out in a big way in 2023 with the Texans, earning a top-10 PFF overall grade for his position (82.1), which helped him land a three-year deal with Brian Flores in Minnesota. Cashman delivered another strong year in 2024, playing a career-high 947 defensive snaps, ranking 22nd in PFF overall grade (72.0) and faring well in run defense (76.3).”
Cashman started 14 games in his first season with the Vikings, racking up a career-high 112 tackles, 11 quarterback hits, eight pass deflections, and 4.5 sacks. He previously played for the New York Jets and the Texans.
It’s been the perfect marriage between Cashman and Flores’ defensive scheme as Cashman has a nose for finding the ball carrier while showing off his versatility in coverage. He led all Vikings non-secondary players in pass deflections with eight.
With two more years on his contract, Cashman can keep playing at a high level and cash in on a bigger contract that will set him up in the future.
