Vikings training camp preview: Defensive linemen

Harrison Phillips anchors a group with a lot of question marks

© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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By Matthew Coller

Editor’s note: The plan for this week was to start with training camp previews on Monday but following the tragic crash that took the life of Khyree Jackson, it did not feel appropriate to jump right into camp storylines. It’s hard to imagine a time where Khyree won’t be on everyone’s mind surrounding the Vikings. With that said, we begin previews today with him in our thoughts. Thank you.

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Football season is nearly upon us. With the Vikings reporting for training camp in two weeks, it’s time for a refresher on where everyone on the roster stands, how the depth chart is looking, and the biggest storylines for each position. We begin with the defensive line, which has opportunities abound for players to earn roles if they can fit with Brian Flores’ defense.

Off we go…

Starters

Harrison Phillips

Without a major addition around him, the 28-year-old defensive tackle is the centerpiece of the defensive line. However, the Vikings have to be hoping that others emerge around him. Last season Phillips played a career-high 838 snaps and set career marks in tackles and sacks but the increased playing time came with a price. He dropped from a solid 72.1 (out of 100) PFF grade in 2022 to 59.7 in 2023 and he was credited with 11 missed tackles, nearly three times his previous high.

Phillips has also been more effective in terms of pass rush when his snap count is lower. Last year he was 26th among DTs in pass rush snaps, taking as many as Giants superstar Dexter Lawrence and 49ers rusher Javon Hargrave. That’s not ideal because his skill set is more shaded toward run stuffing. It stands to reason that if Phillips can stay more fresh in 2024 he can perform better and they can find players who are more natural rushers for pass-heavy downs.

This is a big season for the former Stanford defender. He’s set to become a free agent after this year and at 28 years old it might be his last chance for a significant contract. As for training camp, that doesn’t change much. Phillips is one of the leaders of the defense and it will be on everyone else to rise to the challenge around him.

Jonathan Bullard

Similar to Phillips, Bullard’s performance went down with a higher snap count. Prior to 2023 he hadn’t seen over 400 snaps since 2017 and then the journeyman DT was asked to play 643 last season. Through the first half of the season he was a strong rotational player but those marks dropped off and he ended 2023 with the lowest PFF grade of his career. But the Vikings brought him back, which was a clear sign that they see him as the more effective version that played 318 snaps in 2022. Whether Bullard still ends up playing more snaps than in the past depends on whether someone else steps into an impact role.

Depth

Jerry Tillery

Tillery never became the star pass rushing defensive tackle that the Chargers were looking for when they took him in the first round of the 2019 draft but under Antonio Pierce in Vegas he carved out a role that could work quite well in Minnesota if he can carry over his 2023 play. Tillery had 29 QB pressures in 283 pass rush snaps. PFF has a stat called “true pass sets,” that shows how a defender did in passing situations and Tillery ranked 32nd out of 129 DTs in that area last season. The Vikings have struggled to find a capable pass rush specialist inside since Sheldon Richardson’s strong 2018 season.

Will he show flashes in training camp suggesting he could make a difference or will he become a forgotten signing as the summer goes along?

Jonah Williams

Last year the Rams gave Williams more opportunities than in his first three seasons and he ended up ranking 54th of 73 defensive linemen with at least 450 snaps by PFF. While he was not effective as a pass rusher, he did crack the top 10 graded tacklers among interior DL and ranked 23rd against the run.

Presumably the Vikings brought him in to emulate the roles of Phillips and Bullard but any time a free agent signs a one-year, $1.5 million deal they are battling for a roster spot. If someone with higher upside than the 29-year-old can do the job then he may be pushed out.

Jaquelin Roy

The 2023 fifth-rounder from LSU made an impression in training camp as a rookie by showing some unique power to his game. He ultimately only played 95 snaps and registered four QB pressures in his first season with a handful of noticeable plays on tape. Roy, who was talked about coming out in the draft as having upside because of his physical talent, has an opportunity to earn a significant snap share if he can put together a strong training camp.

Levi Drake Rodriguez (R)

It’s hard to know what to expect from the seventh-round rookie from Texas A&M Commerce. He has the college production as a pass rusher, strength and athletic ability to make waves quickly in the NFL but the jump in competition is going to be enormous. Unless he’s the next Ivan Pace Jr., we should expect a serious learning curve. He is known to have an extremely high motor and intense drive to improve so we will be on the lookout for signs of future potential from the intriguing rookie.

On the bubble