Minnesota Vikings defensive back Josh Metellus has been one of the NFL’s best kept secrets over the past two seasons, at least when it comes to the national media.
The Vikings deployed one of the league’s best all-around defenses in 2024, and Metellus, similar to the year prior, rarely left the field. The now sixth-year defensive back played over 1,000 defensive snaps for the second straight season under Brian Flores, yet no one outside of Minnesota talks about the unsung star due to one main reason:
No one knows what position Metellus plays.
Versatility has been the name of the game for Metellus, who was among the top run-stuffing and tackling defensive backs in the game last season. He did it by shifting seamlessly from a traditional box safety, to slot corner, to at times what resembled an interior linebacker in Flores’ elaborate scheme.
Now entering a contract year — and with the depth chart left thin by the departure of Camryn Bynum in free agency — Metellus made it known to reporters during the Vikings’ mandatory minicamp Wednesday that he considers himself a safety first.
“We had a Hall of Famer and a guy who is (now) paid $15 million back there, I had to find a way to fit in some way,” Metellus said of all-time franchise great Harrison Smith, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “But at the end of the day, I came into this league as a safety. That’s forever going to be my true position. All the other stuff is just something that I think adds to my value.
“But at the end of the day, I’m a ballplayer,” Metellus added. “A thousand snaps (per season) at whatever position, I’m going to do my thing to help the team win.”
Based on Minnesota’s actions both in free agency and the draft, the team will be relying on Metellus heavily at his natural position in 2025.
The Vikings never really replaced Bynum. They did add some depth at boundary cornerback this offseason, however, that should allow Bryon Murphy Jr. to continue getting snaps in the slot. That means Metellus is poised for a more full-time role at safety alongside Smith entering 2025, and it should remain that way unless guys like Jay Ward or Theo Jackson make some head-turning strides during training camp.
This is a huge year for Metellus, who has outperformed the $4 million-per-year extension he signed with the Vikings back in 2023. The recognition (and payday) he deserves could be coming in short order with a more defined role in Flores’ defense.
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