“Initial shock” is how Phillips, the team’s best defensive lineman the last three years, described hearing the news.
A year ago, the Vikings had seven defensive linemen play 90 games with 47 starts and 2,467 snaps. Gone are five of them who played 75 games (83.3%) with 45 starts (95.7%) and 2,253 snaps (91.3%). Only Redmond (13 games, two starts) and Rodriguez (two games, zero starts) return.
Credit for that turnover, at least partially, goes to the world-champion Eagles, who have established the template for interior defensive line quality and quantity in recent years. In last season’s 40-22 Super Bowl victory over the Kansas Chiefs, three of Philly’s sacks and 10 of its pressures came from interior defensive linemen Milton Williams, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo.
The Chiefs fell behind 34-0 and were never a threat in part because Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was able to sit in a two-high safety coverage on 21 of Mahomes’ 32 passing attempts without surrendering his run stoppers up front.
“I love Mahomes, but I really loved that Super Bowl,” Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard said. “Four defensive linemen getting after Mahomes like that? That was music to my ears.”
In Flores’ 3-4 defense, Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel are outside linebackers. In their Vikings debut seasons a year ago, they combined for 41 quarterback hits, 36 tackles for loss and 23½ sacks. In Year 2, they believe they can be even better.