Former Vikings defender out to prove last season was not a fluke

After starting 15 games last season, former Minnesota Vikings safety Jayron Kearse is out to prove he deserves to remain a starter with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022.

In his four years with the Minnesota Vikings, safety Jayron Kearse was only in the team’s starting lineup five times. In his last two seasons as a member of the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, Kearse has been able to become a bigger part of his team’s defense, and he’s started a total of 22 games.

With the Cowboys in 2021, the former Vikings seventh-round draft pick was on the field for more defensive snaps than ever before since entering the NFL in 2016.

In 16 games (15 of them being starts) for Dallas last season, Kearse finished with 101 tackles (nine for a loss), 10 pass breakups, two interceptions, and one sack. It was easily the best single-season performance of his pro career.

Former Minnesota Vikings safety Jayron Kearse ready for year two with Dallas Cowboys

After a productive 2021 campaign, the Cowboys re-signed Kearse this past March to a new two-year contract worth $10 million. Barring any sort of injury during the next few months, he is expected to open the 2022 season as one of Dallas’ two starting safeties.

Kearse was recently asked about his success last season and what it means for him moving forward.

"“Considering the trajectory of my career, to be at this point that I’m at now, it’s a huge accomplishment for me. But I’m still with the same mindset that there’s more out there for me, and I’m working to go get that.”"

The veteran safety hasn’t been a starter for the majority of his career in the NFL, so he knows how quickly his current role with the Cowboys can disappear.

But as he said, he’s working to make sure that he keeps his starting job, and he’s looking to perform even better than he did during the 2021 season.

Kearse will have an opportunity to face his former team in 2022 when Dallas travels to the Twin Cities to take on the Vikings in a Week 11 matchup inside U.S. Bank Stadium.

During a Cowboys win over Minnesota in 2021, he notched six tackles, and he helped the Dallas defense hold Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to just 184 passing yards.