Familiar foes up next for Jordan Hicks as Vikings play Cardinals

Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks is trying to make Sunday's game against the Cardinals "not too special" as he faces another former team, this time the franchise he spent the past three seasons starting for as one of the Cardinals' leading tacklers from 2019-2021.

Hicks, who signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Vikings last spring, now leads Minnesota's defense with 56 tackles (36 solo) through six games. The 30-year-old veteran defender already faced the team that drafted him, Philadelphia, in the Week 2 loss.

"Trying not to make it too big," Hicks said Thursday. "Preparing the same way, watching the film the same way and going out there, obviously going to be very excited going out there, but try to not make it too big."

Hicks might have reason to want to show up the Cardinals, a franchise that drafted his replacement — 2021 first-round linebacker Zaven Collins — ahead of his last season. Hicks told Arizona reporters last summer that he requested a trade after the draft pick, but Hicks ultimately secured a starting spot before the Cardinals cut him last spring.

He's kept in touch with Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz, a friend since their Eagles days, and some other former teammates, but Hicks said there's no love lost when the teams are pitted against each other on Sunday.

Hicks does not want a repeat of last year's matchup, when he was part of the Cardinals defense that allowed 419 yards, including 131 rushing yards by running back Dalvin Cook, in the Vikings' 34-33 loss after a missed field goal in the closing seconds.

"Dalvin had some big holes," Hicks said. "It was not fun. I don't know, we obviously don't want to make it that type of game for them. We're trying to minimize that as much as possible. ... And feed off the fans. We've been doing well at home."

The Vikings will take advantage of Hicks' knowledge of the Cardinals defense, which has been coordinated by Vance Joseph since 2019.

"Absolutely," quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "Had a conversation with [Hicks] and will probably have more."

Punter Ryan Wright's 73-yard boot against the Dolphins — tied with Greg Coleman for the fifth-longest punt in franchise history — was nearly a "disaster," according to special teams coordinator Matt Daniels, who spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time since the win.

"It was actually a recipe for disaster," Daniels said. "Typically you line up at 14 yards, and he was 17 yards back, and even [long snapper Andrew DePaola] looked down like, 'What is this guy doing?' The ball is being snapped and he is literally walking up because he realized he was too deep."

Wright scooped the ball from the grass and overcame another issue. Wright and the Vikings' punt coverage team entered the bye week leading the NFL pinning over 55% of punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

"The drop was actually bad, because he had the laces down and slightly, quickly turned it at the last second," Daniels said. "So it ended up working out."

The Vikings didn't have anything to add to Thursday's injury report, which featured only rookie receiver Jalen Nailor nursing a hamstring injury as a full participant.

The Cardinals weren't so fortunate as five players remained sidelined, including three starting offensive linemen in left tackle D.J. Humphries (back), left guard Max Garcia (shoulder) and center Rodney Hudson (knee). Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson (calf) returned to practice and was limited.