The Minnesota Vikings have poured investment into the defense through free agency, which has led to parting ways with veteran linebacker Jordan Hicks.
The writing was on the wall for Hicks after the Vikings agreed to terms with homegrown linebacker Blake Cashman, formerly with the Houston Texans, to a three-year, $22.5 million deal, per The Athletic.
In turn, Hicks agreed to terms on a two-year, $8 million deal with the Cleveland Browns on March 11, Cleveland.com’s Dan Labbe reported. He reunites with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz from their days with the Philadelphia Eagles.
A two-year starter for the Vikings, Hicks won over the locker room quickly and filled the void of veteran defensive talent that was lost in previous years. He took over Eric Kendricks‘ role as team captain for the 2023 season.
Hicks suffered a rare compartment disorder in his leg during a game in November that landed him in the hospital and at risk of losing his leg. He underwent surgery and returned to action just six weeks later.
“Jordan is the heart and soul, as far as the leadership goes, on our defense,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said at the time of Hicks’ return to action, per Vikings.com. “Anytime you can get a player like that back – we’ve gotta get him some reps this week and see where he’s at … and if we can have him available, I think it’ll be a real bonus for us this week.”
Eden Prairie Native Blake Cashman Comes Homes to Minnesota Vikings, Replaces Jordan Hicks
A 2014 graduate of Eden Prairie High School, Cashman helped the Eagles win their fourth consecutive state title before committing to the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.
In 2018, He led Minnesota with 104 tackles (62 solo), 2.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss and also forced and recovered one fumble for a defensive touchdown. He was named second-team All-Big Ten for his senior-year performance.
Cashman was drafted in the fifth round by the New York Jets in 2019 and struggled with injury in New York, playing in just 14 games in his first three seasons. He was traded to the Texans in the 2022 offseason and signed a one-year extension.
That extension proved to be worthwhile for the Texans.
Cashman’s ranked among the top five off-ball linebackers by Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked him. He was an elite run defender, and as a converted high school cornerback, showed twitchy instincts in coverage.
He earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for recording 15 tackles, two for a loss and two pass breakups in a Week 6 win over the New Orleans Saints.
Cashman is an ideal replacement for Hicks, who has made over $40 million in his career as a veteran linebacker tasked with communicating the defensive adjustments.
“The Texans clearly leaned on Cashman for responsibility on defense, as he made all the adjustment calls, shifts to the front, etc,” The Athletic’s Randy Mueller wrote, adding that Cashman “can run, has very good twitch and sees the game well. His reads and reactions are consistent, and he has a good nose for the ball.”
Vikings Defensive Front Fortified Through Free Agency
The Vikings needed to address the defensive front in free agency and did so in a big way, making three splash signings.
On top of Cashman, the Vikings also agreed to terms with outside linebackers Jonathan Greenard (four years, $76 million) and Andrew Van Ginkel (two years, $20 million).
While the Vikings parted ways with Danielle Hunter, who signed a two-year, $49 million deal with the Texans, Greenard and Van Ginkel are better fits in Brian Flores’ scheme that requires edge rushers to drop back into coverage at times to muddy the picture for quarterbacks.
The Vikings still need help on the defensive interior, but a linebacker corps of Greenard, Van Ginkel, Cashman and standout undrafted rookie Ivan Pace offers needed versatility for Brian Flores.
