Vikings undrafted rookie NaJee Thompson has been a bright spot for the Vikings on special teams this year, even as they've mostly struggled in that phase of the game.
Minnesota is 28th in special teams DVOA this year after ranking 30th last season. Neither Greg Joseph nor Ryan Wright have had good seasons. But Thompson, who was signed out of Georgia Southern exclusively for special teams reasons, has validated the Vikings' decision to put him on their initial 53-man roster and keep him there all year.
He's appeared in all but two games this season, standing out mostly in his role as a punt gunner. Thompson has seven tackles and made his most impressive play of the season in Sunday's otherwise forgettable loss against the Packers. He sprinted downfield and pressured Green Bay return man Samori Toure into muffing a punt, hit him, and then got up and recovered the fumble that led to the Vikings' only touchdown.
Thompson was absolutely flying. According to special teams coordinator Matt Daniels, he hit 22.6 miles per hour on that play. The fastest ballcarrier in the NFL this season is DK Metcalf at 22.2 MPH, per Next Gen Stats (granted, it's easier to reach top speed without holding a ball).
"He just hit a different gear," Daniels said. "It's probably the top (special teams) play of the year."
It hasn't been smooth sailing for Thompson all season. After splashing in the preseason and making the team, he struggled to finish plays in his first six games of the regular season. Then he was a healthy scratch in Weeks 7 and 8. Since then, he's been outstanding, making six of his seven tackles in the last eight games.
"We had a great conversation about how he did get a little complacent," Daniels said. "Made the team, and for him, those first three weeks, he was getting down there but he wasn't making the play. So at that point, decided to sit him down and give someone else an opportunity who could finish. With that, I think it gave him the opportunity to see the biggest picture and what he needed to work on. He took that and ran with it."
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