Vikings Minicamp Observations: Byron Murphy, Jr., Locks Up Coverage in Red Zone

It feels outlandish to imagine a Vikings defense without cornerstone Harrison Smith.

As “The Hitman” keeps weighing his football future, though, we are getting a first look at the shape of the secondary if he chooses to head for the sunset (retirement) rather than return for Year 15 in purple.

When Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores met with the media after practice Tuesday, he said replacing Smith is a difficult task and doesn’t happen right away. The safety group, at least, has a solid veteran presence with Joshua Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward and Tavierre Thomas. They know how Flo’ likes to operate, plus the small details that make a big difference, and they can help assimilate young players.

Such as, the other Thomases patrolling the backend — third-round pick Jakobe and UDFA rookie Jacob.

Metellus commented on the former Wednesday and described him off-the-cuff as “electric.”

“You can tell how much he loves the game and as a guy like me who’s also a lover of the game, you appreciate that,” Metellus continued. “Obviously, our safety position, we do a lot, we talk a lot, we handle a lot, so there’s been a lot thrown on his plate these first couple of weeks. I’m sure as we get into [training] camp, he’ll come into his own and start to show more of his personality on the football field.”

The latter was busy in the cramped 7-on-7 in a “Big Nickel” package alongside several starters; that group also featured second-round rookie Jake Golday, who has logged some mileage this week sans Cashman.