It is hard to complain about much when the Vikings are undefeated, but that doesn't change the fact that some players haven't lived up to their potential or met fan expectations through the first five games of the 2026 NFL season.
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings and rookie running back Demond Claiborne have been disappointing, but they're only two of the players coming up short. Minnesota has others who entered the season with higher expectations but just haven't delivered before the bye week.
Let's take a look at three Vikings who haven't been as effective as they should have been this season, including two regular contributors from defensive coordinator Brian Flores's smothering group of defenders.
1. Harrison Smith, safety
It hurts to say Harrison Smith has been a letdown this season, but this was bound to happen eventually. A six-time Pro Bowl and one-time All-Pro First Team safety, age seems to have finally caught up to the 37-year-old in his 15 years in the NFL.
Smith has a Pro Football Focus grade of 31.5 through the first five weeks of the season, ranking dead last among 90 qualifying safeties. His struggles are amplified by the fact that he is playing the smallest defensive role while joining Minnesota. Before this year, he had never played less than 80% of possible snaps, but this year, he is down to 48%.
Although Smith is still a celebrated fan favorite, there is no question that this is the most disappointing season of his career. Thankfully, the Purple and Gold defense is playing lights-out this season and can get by without the future Vikings Ring of Honor being elite.
2. Kyler Murray, quarterback
After the frustrations from Minnesota's quarterback play last season, expectations for Kyler Murray were not high. Still, the former No. 1 overall pick of the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft. However, the former Heisman winner has not been very impressive this season.
Murray has played in four games for Minnesota this year and has thrown only two touchdowns with two interceptions. His career-low 165.5 passing yards per game is baffling when he has targets like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson to throw the ball to.
Murray still has time to find his groove in Minnesota, but for now, there is nothing but disappointment. However, if he can start showing the skills that saw him throw for 3,700-plus yards and 20-plus touchdowns four times with the Cardinals, the Vikings could be extremely dangerous when it matters most.
3. Josh Metellus, safety
Josh Metellus is a Swiss Army knife in the Vikings' defense and has been a major contributor in recent years, but 2026 is off to a poor start for him. His PFF grade of 40.2 ranks him No. 85 out of 90 eligible safeties this season,
Through Minnesota's first five games, Metellus has played every possible defensive snap. In starting all five games, he has played 295 defensive snaps but has only registered 30 combined tackles and three pass defenses.
Minnesota clearly trusts Metellus as a key part of the defense, but his 33.4 coverage grade from PFF highlights his struggles. The scariest part is that he is allowing a 145.8 passer rating and 21.4 yards per reception when targeted by opposing quarterbacks, which isn't ideal given how often he sees the field. He's also missed a career-high 11.4% of his tackles.
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