Vikings re-sign ERFA safety Theo Jackson

The Vikings have re-signed safety Theo Jackson, they announced on Wednesday. He was an exclusive rights free agent, which is the term used to describe a player with an expired contract and fewer than three accrued seasons.

Jackson, 25, was drafted by the Titans out of Tennessee in the sixth round of the 2022 draft. He was then waived in final roster cuts that year, landing on the Titans' practice squad. That October, when Lewis Cine got hurt, the Vikings poached Jackson by signing him to their active roster.

As a rookie, Jackson was an important special teams contributor who only played 18 defensive snaps all year. In 2023, with Brian Flores taking over the Vikings' defense and leaning heavily on his safety room, Jackson played 125 defensive snaps while maintaining his significant special teams role. He played a season-high 21 snaps in a Week 2 loss against the Eagles, recording an interception of Jalen Hurts in that game. Jackson finished the year with 21 tackles.

It's possible that Jackson's defensive role will continue to grow in 2024. Harrison Smith seems likely to either retire or be released for cap savings, which would open up a starting spot alongside Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus. The Vikings might bring in a replacement, but Jackson could also have a chance to compete for a sizable role. He's been ahead of Cine on the depth chart for a while now.