Okay, okay...the question is a bit hyperbolic given the fact that there are so many elite athletes in the NFL who are much bigger names than Josh Metellus, but the evidence does suggest that the former Wolverine is extremely valuable to the Minnesota Vikings and one of the league's most versatile players.
As you can see in the graphic above, Metellus has played 12 different positions during this season alone. Most notably, he's actually taken snaps as a defensive tackle. The 5-11, 207-pounder has a good build for playing all positions in the secondary and several undersized linebacker spots, but taking snaps at defensive end and defensive tackle is definitely unique. Metellus also shines all over the field as a special teams contributor, which is why the graphic above exists in the first place. Metellus is campaigning to receive Pro Bowl votes in order to play in the game for the first time.
Metellus, who was once viewed as a consolation prize that came along with the commitment of high school teammate Devin Bush, has worked extremely hard and carved out a very nice role for himself in Minnesota. His first two years were filled with lots of standing on the sidelines but then last year he really started to see the field quite a bit. Now, he's an everyday starter and and has really become a nice piece of the Vikings defense. So far this year he has racked up 41 solo tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception. He has also forced four fumbles. Because of his growth and development, he he recently signed a two-year contract extension with the Vikings. In 2023, Metellus is earning a base salary of $1,010,000 and cashed in on a signing bonus of $3,000,000. Not too shabby for a sixth-round pick.
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