‘Glue guy’ linebacker Eric Wilson continuing to defy odds with the Vikings

How did Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson go from being undrafted to logging nearly 2,000 special teams snaps over the past eight NFL seasons?

“He really looks like he should be on stage at Mr. Olympia or whatever,” safety Harrison Smith said. “I’m sure he could get into that if he wanted to. He’s got the build for it.”

“He’s got the body straight from a Greek god,” linebacker Blake Cashman added. “He’d tell you his secret is he eats a lot of fruit. He probably eats three, four big bowls of fruit per day. … I’m talking a freezer gallon Ziploc bag of fruit on him at all times. It’s crazy.”

Fruit?

Wilson, who re-signed with the Vikings in March, is the same guy who walked into the league as a relative unknown, joining Minnesota for $10,000 guaranteed as an undrafted free agent in 2017 out of Cincinnati. He developed into a key special teams player and eventual starter under former coach Mike Zimmer, appearing in all 68 games over four seasons.

He’s spent the past four years with the Eagles, Texans and Packers, where he started 12 games for Green Bay’s fifth-ranked defense last season.

His methods appear tried and true. They just begged a follow-up question.

The secret, Wilson said, really lies in committing to the mundane, daily routine of training and maintaining.

“Consistency,” he said. “Just doing the right thing. Everybody knows what doing the right thing is, it’s just a matter of doing it.”

Being a good friend has helped Wilson, too.

Coaches say that’s an important factor for this defense, which is trying to recreate the chemistry they have credited for last year’s success, which included an NFL-leading 24 interceptions.

Wilson was a locker room favorite during his first run in Minnesota from 2017 to 2020. He formed bonds that still last with former teammates Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks.

“One of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” said Barr, who last played in 2023 and plans to officially retire in a few weeks. “Grinds as hard as anyone in the building. He’s a leader and a locker room all-star. Whether it is special teams, middle linebacker, Sam or Will [linebacker], he always shows up.”

“His attitude is infectious,” Barr added, “and his work ethic is second to none.”

The Vikings will need Wilson to show up on special teams, where he has been one of the NFL’s most consistent players. He has played the 20th-most special teams snaps (1,942) since entering the league, trailing only two players who were drafted in his 2017 class: linebackers Duke Riley (2,244) and Jalen Reeves-Maybin (2,199), according to Pro Football Reference.

He’s also meshed well so far on defense, where Cashman — the Eden Prairie and Gophers product — recalled meeting him during a 2020 workout in Minnesota when Wilson was training with Barr and Kendricks.

Five years later, Cashman and Wilson trained again this offseason at the same gym in Woodbury owned by former Vikings receiver Adam Thielen.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores sees Wilson as a potential “glue guy.”

“He’s just a guy you want to be around,” Flores said. “Somebody you want to hang out with in the locker room, in the cafeteria, on the field. You see people gravitate toward him. He’s got a great personality and a great energy about himself, and you need those types of guys on your team to bring the group together. People use the term ‘glue guy.’ I think he’s got the makings to be that.”

Just have realistic expectations of what he’s bringing to the party.

“He’s a free spirit,” Barr said. “Guy is like a living Tarzan. I remember we had a potluck one time. Guys brought burgers, dogs, steaks. He brought a bag of fruit and everyone was like, ‘What?’ ”

Wilson retorted: “Most of the time, people are going to bring chips, meat, cheese; this, that and a third. Who’s bringing the fruit? Somebody’s got to bring it.”

“A really connected team,” Wilson said. “Everybody worked hard, kind of competed in a way where it pushes everybody to be better. I think everybody bought into the system and it worked. Everybody had each other’s backs. I feel a similar vibe of this team.”