Vikings Roster Countdown: No. 91 Patrick Jones II — Rising Year 3 OLB?

Jones should have an opportunity to see plenty of reps in his third season.

Author:
Will Ragatz
Publish date:
Jul 12, 2023 5:40 PM EDT

In this story:

Ahead of the Vikings' 2023 training camp beginning in late July, we'll be taking a look at every player on the 90-man roster, counting down from 99 to 0 (excluding the UDFAs, who we already profiled). For every player, we'll look at the best and worst-case scenarios and their realistic outlook for the upcoming season.

No. 91: Patrick Jones II, OLB

Age: 25 | Size: 6'4", 264

Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Patrick Jones II (91) celebrates after defeating the New England Patriots after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. — Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Former Vikings GM Rick Spielman never drafted an edge rusher in the first two rounds during his 16-year tenure in Minnesota. Not once. Early on, that strategy worked to perfection, as Spielman traded for Jared Allen and found Ray Edwards, Brian Robinson, and Everson Griffen in the fourth round. Spielman struck gold again in 2015 when he selected Danielle Hunter in the third round.

Hunter aside, the approach fell off in the second half of Spielman's tenure. He used third or fourth-round picks on Scott Crichton, Jalyn Holmes, D.J. Wonnum, and Patrick Jones II in an attempt to find another steal of an edge rusher, but it wasn't sustainable. None of those players panned out, although Wonnum and Jones remain on the roster.

If one of the two is going to break out in 2023, Jones feels more likely than Wonnum. The Pitt product — selected in the 2021 third-round along with busts Kellen Mond, Wyatt Davis, and Chazz Surratt — took a nice step forward in his second season. Jones went from 99 defensive snaps as a rookie to 308 in 2022, recording four sacks, eight total tackles for loss, and 13 pressures.

In 2023, Jones will look to continue ascending. The opportunities should be there behind Marcus Davenport and Danielle Hunter — and Jones' role would grow even larger if Hunter is traded.

Best-case scenario: Jones takes another step forward in his third season, tallying six or seven sacks on around 500 snaps. His arrow remains pointed up heading into the final year of his rookie deal.

Worst-case scenario: Jones plateaus as a merely competent edge player. He makes the roster again in 2024, but like Wonnum before him, he's not going to be an important long-term piece.

Outlook for 2023: Jones' roster spot is secure. He and Wonnum are the top rotational edge rushers behind Hunter and Davenport, with young players like Luiji Vilain and Andre Carter II waiting in the wings behind them. Obviously, a Hunter trade would change that entire picture. Jones, who had 17.5 sacks across his final two seasons at Pitt, showed some legitimate flashes of upside in 2022. His length and burst are interesting traits. Can he put it together more consistently this year?

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UDFAs