The Vikings have a real problem at safety. Veterans Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus are ranked among the ten worst safeties in the NFL this season, ranking dead last and sixth-worst, respectively, on Pro Football Focus. Despite the success of defensive coordinator Brian Flores's unit, a change is needed.
That said, the answer to Minnesota's safety issues might already be on the team's roster—a 2026 NFL Draft pick has yet to make an impact this season.
The Vikings selected Jakobe Thomas with the 98th overall pick in April, yet he hasn't played a single snap this season. The 6'1", 211-lb defensive back was inactive for each of Minnesota's five games before the bye, which doesn't bode well for his chances against the Colts in Week 7.
Thomas played in one preseason game after working hard to recover from a back injury sustained during training camp. In that exhibition game against the Broncos, he had five tackles, three of which were solo efforts. His 79.4 tackling grade ranked second-best among Vikings defenders that game, according to PFF, while his 66.0 run defense grade was seventh-best.
Now that he's healthy and the safety room needs all the help it can get, Thomas needs to be active on game day.
It is time for the Vikings to give Jakobe Thomas an opportunity
Even if he only gets started on special teams, getting the former Miami (FL) and Tennessee defensive back some on-field experience could go a long way in preparing him for the future.
On Friday, Andrew Krammer of the Minnesota Star Tribune shared an article about Thomas that included a quote from Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels. Apparently, the rookie safety has been asking when he will finally get on the field in a regular-season game.
(Jakobe's) asking and wondering when is his time going to come to be able to be activated on gameday? I just tell him, ‘You just got to keep playing more football.’
Matt Daniels on Jakobe Thomas
The 23-year-old safety is chomping at the bit to get some reps this season. Considering how Smith and Metellus have struggled this season, it is imperative that the Vikings find a way to take pressure off Theo Jackson.
Jackson has played 191 defensive snaps for Minnesota this season and has the highest PFF grade among Vikings safeties this year, at 63.7. That's still not great, since it ranks him 41st out of 98 qualifying safeties across the NFL.
It is time to see Thomas finally play some snaps for the Vikings, and that should start in Week 7. He needs to be active on game day to prepare for a future where he steps into a defensive role for the Purple and Gold and helps keep Flores's defense among the NFL's most feared units.
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