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The Minnesota Vikings are hoping for another strong season in 2025-26 after surprising many with their performance in 2024-25, which culminated in a rough playoff loss vs the Los Angeles Rams. One of the key reasons for Minnesota's success was the play of its defensive unit, which was led by star players like safety Josh Metellus, whom the team recently signed to an extension.
Recently, Metellus was asked by Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team if he believes he is the most versatile defender in the entire NFL, and his answer exuded no shortage of confidence.
“Easily. I’m not trying to be overconfident, but the track record is the track record… I haven’t seen a guy go from first down at linebacker, second down at nickel, third down at safety, and if there’s a fourth down, in the A-gap,” he said, per Ari Meirov on X, formerly Twitter.
Metellus indeed made all of the types of plays he mentioned on numerous occasions during the Vikings' 2024 season, in which they were the last undefeated team remaining at one point despite being projected by many to not make the playoffs heading into the year.
Can the Vikings turn a corner?
The big question of this offseason for the Vikings was what they would do about their quarterback position, and the team indirectly gave its answer when they allowed quarterback Sam Darnold to walk in free agency, taking his talents to the Seattle Seahawks.
Darnold put together far and away the best year of his NFL career last season with Minnesota, but he unfortunately put up a clunker during the team's playoff loss to the Rams, which may have made losing him a little easier of a pill to swallow.
Meanwhile, waiting in the wings last year was quarterback JJ McCarthy, whom the team drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft but lost to an injury before the season started.
McCarthy figures to compete for the starting position this year, and if he can come close to replicating the production that Darnold had during last regular season, the Vikings could once again be a force in the vaunted NFC North.
