4. Jordan Hicks - ILB
It was a little surprising when the Vikings brought Jordan Hicks back in 2023. He didn't have a great season in 2022, and it was kind of assumed he'd be replaced by a veteran or second-year player Brian Asamoah.
So when the news broke that his contract was restructured and he'd return to the team, it was met with mixed fanfare.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah deserves double credit on this one. Not only should he get love for bringing Hicks to town in the first place, he needs love for bringing him back for another season, realizing what a great fit he'd be in Flores's scheme.
Hicks has definitely been that. He's been making plays all over the field, racking up 87 tackles, four tackles for a loss, one sack, two fumble recoveries, one interception, one forced fumble, four pass breakups, and one touchdown.
He is the epitome of a playmaker, and his play has won this team games. It's a shame that he was recently placed on injured reserve after having to have emergency surgery on his leg because he's going to be extremely hard to replace.
Here's hoping that linebackers Ivan Pace Jr., Anthony Barr, and Troy Dye are up to the task because Hicks has arguably been the team's defensive MVP this season.