There are some folks to choose from
As we approach the start of June and the start of offseason “downtime” for the NFL, we’re going to look far and wide for things to talk about relating to our Minnesota Vikings, and hopefully this is one that will stir up a little bit of debate.
Doug Farrar over at USA Today’s Touchdown Wire has put together a list of each NFL team’s most underrated player, and his pick for the Vikings is safety/cornerback/linebacker/hot dog vendor/whatever Josh Metellus.
The key to being a standout defensive back in today’s NFL is versatility, and that’s true no matter where you line up. It’s certainly been the case for Josh Metellus of the Vikings.
Listed as a safety, Metellus has all kinds of tricks up his sleeve. The 2020 sixth-round pick out of Michigan saw a bit of playing time in his first three NFL seasons, and it all came together for him in 2023. That’s when he totaled three sacks, 29 total pressures, 86 solo tackles, and 45 stops.
Now, I understand that we as Vikings fans don’t underrate Josh Metellus. Certainly not after this past season, anyway. As Farrar points out in his piece, Brian Flores played Metellus at darn near every possible position on the defensive side of the ball and he flourished. He had gotten a two-year contract extension from the Vikings before last season, and at the time that seemed a bit curious given that his main role was that of a core special teams player. However, given his opportunity to get more time on defense, he showed that he’s a player for the team to build around for the future.
Between defense and special teams in 2023, no player in the NFL was on the field for more snaps than the 1,224 Metellus played. With Flores coming back for another year, expect Metellus to be a centerpiece of the Minnesota defense again.
Do you think that Metellus is the most underrated member of the Vikings? If not, who do you think the correct choice is?
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