Scoggins: Unsung Vikings star Eric Wilson deserves new deal

The Vikings held an eight-point lead late in the fourth quarter Sunday night. The Dallas Cowboys were driving for a potential touchdown that could lead to tying the score.

The ball sat at the Vikings 45-yard line at AT&T Stadium, fourth-and-7 with 5½ minutes remaining. The Cowboys made the now-or-never decision to go for it.

Quarterback Dak Prescott threw a checkdown pass to running back Malik Davis, who was belted by a defender immediately just short of the first-down marker, a play that preserved a Vikings win.

Linebacker Eric Wilson made that drive-stalling tackle because of course he did.

He’s been an unsung star of the Vikings defense all season.

“You can always count on him to be sound with his assignment,” fellow linebacker Blake Cashman said.

Wilson’s emergence is a bright spot in a season that drifted far off course. Signed last offseason to a one-year, $2.6 million contract, Wilson has been an absolute bargain when measuring his impact and production.

His 15 tackles for loss rank sixth in the NFL, third among linebackers.

He ranks second on the team in tackles (98), first in tackles for loss and is tied with edge rusher Dallas Turner for first in sacks (5½).

To put that into context, Wilson is only the 17th NFL player since 1999 — and first since Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby in 2023 — to record 90 tackles, five sacks and 15 tackles for loss in a season.

Not bad for a guy who was expected to serve as a backup and make his mark on special teams.

“I think I’m playing my best ball now,” Wilson said.

First, he takes remarkable care of himself. Listed at 231 pounds, his body is chiseled like a sculpture. He has muscles on top of muscles. Teammates marvel at the copious amount of fruit he consumes.

Second, fit matters. Wilson has played in different schemes with four NFL teams, including two stints with the Vikings. His role in defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ complex, aggressive system aligns nicely with his skill set.

“When you’re playing linebacker in a 4-3 or a 3-4, the game looks different,” said Wilson, who first joined the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2017. “It’s a different feel. Over the years, it’s all kind of making sense.”

He just needed an opportunity. Wilson impressed Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell as a member of the Green Bay Packers defense last season, setting the wheels in motion.

“He jumped off the tape to me,” O’Connell said, noting he also heard glowing reports about Wilson’s character from Vikings staffers who knew him from his first stint with the team.

“I thought it could be a really good fit, and he agreed,” O’Connell said. “He’s made that all come to life.”

Injuries opened the door for Wilson to become a starter. His production kept him in the lineup, replacing Ivan Pace Jr.

Wilson said he has blitzed more this season than any point in his career. Flores’ creativity in how he uses players gives Wilson opportunities to make splash plays, especially as a pass rusher.

“We’re an attacking scheme. I like that about it,” Wilson said. “It’s helped me adjust my game accordingly. You’ve got to know when to take your shots.”

Cashman emphasized Wilson’s football intellect. Wilson is a smart, instinctive linebacker who has developed cohesion with Cashman on the Vikings’ elaborate pre-snap checks and disguised looks that are designed to confuse offenses. They spend hours every week going over communication. Being in sync prevents chaos.

That astuteness was evident on Wilson’s fourth-down stop against Dallas. He made a point to identify the yard marker to prevent Davis from catching the pass beyond it. Then he was forceful on the tackle.

“That was a big moment,” he said.

Wilson has made a habit of being in the right spot this season. The looming question now is: What comes next?

Wilson is set to become a free agent. He’s enjoying a career season, but he turned 31 in September. That’s not a sweet spot for a long-term deal, yet Wilson belongs high on the list of the Vikings’ most valuable players on defense this season.

“I like it here, but we’ll see what happens,” he said.