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'Seasoned veteran' Eric Wilson next man up for Vikings with Cashman out

Originally posted on Minnesota Vikings on SI
By Will Ragatz  |  Last updated Sep 11, 2025 5:34 PM ET

Thrust into action on Monday night after Blake Cashman got hurt, Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson came up huge in the team's comeback win over the Bears.

23 of his 25 defensive snaps came after Cashman's hamstring injury late in the third quarter. Wilson took over green dot duties on the fly, which means receiving the play calls from Brian Flores via a speaker in his helmet and relaying them to his teammates. He was excellent in run defense, highlighted by a tackle for loss and a couple other stops.

And the veteran did his thing on special teams as well. He had a big hit on kickoff coverage and got his hand on a punt in the fourth quarter, turning it into a 25-yarder that flipped the field position before the Vikings' third touchdown.

"That's why we went and got him," head coach Kevin O'Connell said after the game. "E-Wil has been such a critical addition. You're always looking for that veteran presence. I don't know if we win the football game unless you have Eric Wilson."

The Vikings are going to need Wilson to continue to play a significant role in their defense for at least the next month. They placed Cashman on IR on Thursday, so they'll be without their best linebacker for a minimum of four games. Wilson figures to hold onto the green dot role as he joins Ivan Pace Jr. in the starting lineup.

Originally signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent out of Cincinnati in 2017, Wilson has carved out nearly a decade-long career in the NFL. He spent his first four years in Minnesota and had a career year in 2020, when he played over 1,000 defensive snaps, recorded 122 tackles, and picked off three passes.

Wilson spent time with the Eagles and Texans in 2021, then had a strong three-year run with the Packers that saw him play over 500 snaps last season. In free agency this spring, the Vikings went out and signed him to a one-year deal, $2.6 million deal to be their No. 3 linebacker and a key special teams player.

Part of the reason they wanted to get a guy like Wilson was to feel like they wouldn't have to take a massive step back if Cashman or Pace were to miss time. That was the case on Monday in Chicago, and the Vikings have confidence that Wilson will continue to play at a high level for them moving forward.

"Eric is a seasoned veteran in every way," defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. "He's as professional, mature a guy as I've been around. And he can play some football. I think he's just got a real innate, instinctive feel to the game. I think we saw that on Monday night, but we've really seen that the entire training camp."

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This article first appeared on Minnesota Vikings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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