4 Vikings players that we can now safely call busts

Jalyn Holmes – DE

Jalyn Holmes was a guy who when drafted, many deemed a steal. There was talk that the former Ohio State Buckeyes pass rusher could be selected as early as the second round and when the Vikings got him with a fourth-round pick in 2018, it was viewed as highway robbery.

Almost immediately, Minnesota made it known that Holmes would be converted to defensive tackle, and under the tutelage of defensive line coach Andre Patterson, this was a role that many assumed he’d excel at.

For whatever reason, things just haven’t clicked for Holmes. Maybe it was the position change or perhaps it was the difference in the level of competition from college to the NFL, but he has never come close to meeting his expectations.

Holmes has appeared in just 22 games since he was drafted in 2018 and he’s racked up a scant 41 tackles. The most eye-popping stat is that he has a goose egg when it comes to sacks.

Holmes started as a three-technique defensive tackle for the Vikings and he was supposed to create interior pressure that would throw off the timing of opposing offenses. This season, he was moved back to his natural defensive end position, but he has still has struggled to get to the quarterback.

To be fair, the 2020 campaign has been Holmes’ best in a Minnesota uniform, as he’s already played in 11 games with six starts. He’s also registered 34 tackles this year with two for a loss. While seeing Holmes produce a little this season has been encouraging, it is just too little too late and he will always be looked at as a bust for the Vikings.