Vikings free agent signing is perfect fit for Brian Flores' defense with upside yet to be tapped into

Isaiah Rodgers is a good fit for Brian Flores

Rodgers is best known by the common fan for being one of the players suspended for the 2023 season because of gambling. The Indianapolis Colts released him quickly and the Eagles gave him an opportunity by claiming him and waited it out until 2024. He returned and played well in a reserve role.

A sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of UMass, Rodgers has played almost exclusively on the outside (1,290 snaps outside vs. 49 in the slot) despite being 5'-10" and 170 lbs. His size also doesn't limit him from getting his nose dirty in the open field and also the running game.

Being a capable tackler is a huge thing for Flores' defense. The aggressive nature which Flores calls the unit means defenders will be in one-on-one positions and need to make a tackle in space. 

Rodgers also fits in other ways. He's played in a variety of schemes in his career, with last season playing a lot of zone in Vic Fangio's. They use a variety of concepts with the majority of them being zone. They also do some match concepts and Rodgers does a good job of understanding when to pass off receivers. This rep isn't flawless, but he limits the space that Lamar Jackson has to throw the ball to Mark Andrews.

The vision with Rodgers is a simple one: he can do a little bit of everything from a coverage perspective while also being a solid tackler. Rodgers only has 15 missed tackles across 1,436 snaps per Pro Football Focus, but the biggest improvement we saw last season was in preventing targets from turning into receptions.

Last season on 276 coverage snaps, Rodgers allowed just 18 catches on 36 targets for 200 yards, and two touchdowns. Rodgers also batted down six passes, a rate of 16.67%. That is something that will translate.

The last thing is his his patience. It's a little inconsistent, but there are flashes of really good play. Watch how he handles this blaze route with outside leverage. When Jerry Jeudy cuts inside, Rodgers has slight outside leverage and doesn't get out in front of his skis when Jeudy cuts back to the outside. That kind of patience is huge for how the Vikings play.

However, Rodgers isn't perfect when it comes to displaying patience, which can be argued to be one of the reasons why Rodgers was available at this kind of price. Staying patient is especially important at the goal line, where Rodgers needs to not be as aggressive, but wait for the receiver to make the first move.

Rodgers fits the profile of what the Vikings have targeted in the last couple of years.

When the Vikings agreed to terms with Rodgers, I had a theory that the Vikings and defensive coordinator Brian Flores had a type of cornerback: short, feisty, and aggressive at the catch point.

When you look at the cornerback room, it certainly makes sense. The Vikings have preferred to choose cornerbacks those cornerbacks likely due to their movement skills and willingness to attack the football. There are some really interesting players in the NFL Draft with that profile, including Quincy Riley and Cobee Bryant.

It's a good strategy for the Vikings, as that style of coverage is crucial to make this defense thrive. Rodgers is another one of Adofo-Mensah's upside bets that could pay off in a major way.