The Vikings' Lonely Linebacker
Signed to a three-year deal, Blake Cashman has quickly emerged as a key linchpin in Minnesota's defense.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah appears to have pulled off a savvy signing.
Getting linebacker Blake Cashman to town is aging well across the season’s opening four games. Aggressive and athletic, Cashman moves really well, routinely crowding the line of scrimmage while making plays behind it.
He also has a brain in his head. Despite some offseason chatter to the contrary, Cashman snagged the green dot, meaning his helmet is the one with the ear piece to get the play call from defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
The veteran is playing in his sixth season and for his third team, so he has seen a decent bit since being scooped up in the 2019 NFL Draft. Handing things over to him makes sense even if he is a newcomer.
And, to his credit, things have been going well. Again, Cashman is flying all over the field, piling up tackles, and even joining in on the fun behind the line of scrimmage.
What are the broader implications for the defense? Where are things going from here?
Humble Minnesota Beginnings
Prior to making it into the NFL, Blake Cashman was playing football in Minnesota. In fact, he’s originally from Eden Prairie and went to high school at … Eden Prairie. His collegiate career took place at (you guessed it) Minnesota.
So, we’ve got a bit of a homecoming taking place with Mr. Cashman.
The speedy linebacker put together a reasonably impressive final season in college, piling up 104 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 5 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. He even scored a touchdown.
The word was that he should get scooped up as a Day 3 pick. Consider what the NFL website said: “Limited WILL linebacker who isn't big and isn't fast, but plays with determination and a nose for the ball. Former walk-ons usually have chips on their shoulders that are permanent fixtures and Cashman is no different. He's made the most out of every opportunity he's created for himself, but his lack of athletic traits and length create a small margin for error in his play. If he can improve in taking on blocks and play more instinctively, he could have a chance as a back-end backup and core special-teamer.”
The prophecy about being just a special teams player or “back-end backup” have ended up being wrong. Not just a starter, Cashman has proven to be an impact player, someone who helps allow a defense to thrive.
PFF didn’t have too much in their pre-draft write up on the ‘backer, but the analytics website did make note of the athleticism: “Cashman earned a 90.0-plus overall grade this past season and tested out as one of the most athletic linebackers in the class at the combine.”
Praising Cashman for athleticism is fair enough. Anyone who watches him play can see it on display. Circle back around to the NFL blurb, though; there were considerable doubts about his capacity to thrive in the NFL. The simple fact that he’s doing so speaks to an ongoing determination, work ethic, and smarts.
Getting into the NFL meant being picked at No. 157 (5th Round) back in the 2019 NFL Draft. In that same draft, Minnesota snagged center Garrett Bradbury in the opening round before sinking picks into tight end Irv Smith Jr., running back Alexander Mattison, guard Dru Samia, and several others in the late rounds.
Cashman spent his opening three seasons in New York, picking up seven starts as a Jet while getting involved in fourteen games overall. He then journeyed south to Houston where he became a full-time starter. The initial season — 2022 — involved Mr. Cashman being a backup, but it was the next season — 2023 — when he truly broke out.
The middle linebacker started thirteen games, picking up 106 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 passes defended, and 9 tackles for loss along the way. He leveraged that breakout campaign into a three-year, $22.5 million deal from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah during free agency.
The Vikings’ Lonely Linebacker
A lot of the time, the Vikings roll with just one lonely linebacker on the field. Part of that is a byproduct of missing Ivan Pace Jr. due to injury but it’s also a reflection of at least a couple of other factors.
First, there’s the emphasis on the big nickel. Brian Flores loves trotting out his three safeties. When an extra man is needed in the box, Josh Metellus commonly gets the call. So, too, can Harrison Smith — someone with sneaky size at 6’2”, 211 pounds — play close to (or at) the line of scrimmage.
Second, there’s the confidence in Mr. Cashman. Leaving him as the lonely linebacker hasn’t been much of an issue for the Flores defense. After all, we’re talking about the 4th-best unit going into Thursday Night Football since they’re allowing just 14.8 points against per game (on average).
Consider how the playing time on defense is being divvied up:
Blake Cashman — 262 Snaps
Ivan Pace Jr. — 87 Snaps
Kamu Grugier-Hill — 47 Snaps
Brian Asamoah — 13 Snaps
Right now, the competition isn’t particularly close. True, Pace has missed some games, but he was still taking a bit of a backseat in the contests where he was available.
Cashman has been on the field 92% of the time; Pace has been on the field 62% of the time when he’s been available. The 30% discrepancy isn’t insignificant.
One even wonders if Pace will come back to a starting spot. Almost certainly, he’s going to retain his spot as the LB2. The issue is simply that Metellus demands to be on the field. Will more games get off the ground with a lonely linebacker — Cashman — alongside the three-safety look?
If so, then the snaps at off-ball linebacker could grow even lonelier. Blake Cashman appears to be up to the task.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, Sports Reference CFB, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
Odds & Ends
Jets at Vikings Score Prediction (London)
Once again, we’re in a spot where it’s tough to pick against the Vikings.
Yes, the defense looked bad in that final half against Green Bay, but it’s possible the shortcomings end up being a blessing in disguise. Can they evolve and shore up some of the deficiencies? Not too many in Minnesota like Aaron Rodgers, but the man can still throw lasers.
Regardless, I’ll roll with the home team.
Final Score: Vikings 27 — Jets 18
Season Prediction Record: 3-1
Dad Joke of the Week
Passing along a trio, folks. Decide for yourself which deserves the greater laugh (groan?).
“When does a joke become a dad joke? When it becomes apparent.” — tomkrueger2
“Cow farts come from the dairy air.” — ZRWshooter
“Why don’t they serve fancy meals on flights? They only serve plane food.” — Mthon7
Vikings Tidbits and Thoughts
Quinnen Williams is the one to fear. Yes, Will McDonald is piling up sacks — he’s sitting on 5 — but the interior d-lineman is a handful. Look for C.J. Ham/Aaron Jones to keep doing their thing by helping out the iOL.
Justin Jefferson is going to get the Sauce Gardner treatment. We’re talking about two of the NFL’s absolute best talents squaring off. Oh, and the Jets also have D.J. Reed, who is coming in as PFF’s 2nd-best corner. So, Jordan Addison is going to be tested, as well.
Quiet day for Ty Chandler last week. The RB2 had just 3 carries for 5 yards. Some of that was because Jones was playing well in his return to Lambeau, but the Vikings need more from their speedster at running back. Ripping off a huge run or two would help with the winning effort.
Last week, Byron Murphy Jr. got targeted a whopping 15 times. Do the NYJ employ a similar strategy of relentlessly going after the versatile corner?
Links for the Dinks
Stunning Stat Emerges in Vikings Victory over the Packers in Week 4: Genuinely, it’s a bonkers statistic. Credit to CBS Sports for digging up that one and making it known during the broadcast. How will Minnesota respond when they’re trailing? Will they have the resolve to claw back into a game and (ultimately) pull off the win? Remains to be seen.
From Punching Bag to Knockout Punch, Vikings Corner Responds at Perfect Time: There is no Week 4 victory unless Byron Murphy Jr. snags an interception and then forces a fumble with an excellent punch. He was getting picked on in that game but ended up coming through in the clutch.
Vikings Rumors: Hockenson’s Return, Bad News Bye Week, and MIN’s Top-10 Schedule: A lot of wordy titles in this week’s “Links for the Dinks.” Apologies. Give the rumors a read and learn a bit more about when T.J. Hockenson could get back onto the field. His addition will be a major one.
Thanks for reading and take care of yourself.