Getty Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr
Signing with the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday, Anthony Barr is back in purple and gold but will have a new look when he takes the field.
With rookie Andre Carter wearing Barr’s No. 55, the veteran linebacker had to make a call to his longtime friend and teammate Eric Kendricks, who is in his first year away from Minnesota with the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I called E.K., asked him if it’s cool and he gave me his blessing, said Barr, who will be wearing Kendricks’ old No. 54 this season.
Barr’s new look is fitting of a Vikings defense that has changed dramatically from past years. Under coordinator Brian Flores, the defense is playing a ferocious blitz-heavy scheme that Barr believes suits his abilities.
“They play very fast and aggressive, in a style I think kind of fits my abilities,” Barr said, per the Star Tribune. “A lot of familiar faces, from the top down, all throughout the organization. It’s a reunion, I guess you could call it.”
It will take time for Barr to fully absorb the new defensive scheme, but Flores didn’t count out Barr carving out a role as early as this Sunday night’s primetime matchup with the Denver Broncos.
“His role: it will be what he makes it over the course of this week,” Flores said in a November 14 news conference.
Vikings’ Anthony Barr Ready to Blitz Under Vikings Brian Flores
GettyAnthony Barr makes a tackle for the Minnesota Vikings.
A prolific pass-rusher in college, Barr’s pass-rushing potential seemed untapped in the NFL under Mike Zimmer.
To be fair, Barr was used as a pass-rusher, but primarily in double-A gap blitzes with Kendricks. Barr is built like an edge rusher at 6-foot-5, 257 pounds, which led to some scrutiny of how he was used.
Flores may introduce some new wrinkles with how Barr is deployed, but overall, his past experience blitzing sets a nice floor with how the Vikings could use him this week.
“We had a lot of success with that back in the day,” Barr said, referring to the double-A gap blitz. “They’re doing it at a high level now. So there’s some carryover. There’s the terminology, and some things here and there, but for the most part, football’s football. They do a lot of unorthodox things here, which is something I have to adjust to. But I’m a smart player, and I think I can handle that transition.”
Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell Sounds off on Signing Anthony Barr
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
Barr’s return to Minnesota comes in the wake of the Vikings losing veteran Jordan Hicks, who was placed on injured reserve with a right leg injury this week.
Hick wore the “green dot” helmet for the defense and was responsible for relaying the defensive play calls and ensuring the unit is lined up correctly.
Barr held that role in Minnesota throughout his eight years with the Vikings, making him an ideal replacement with Hicks out.
“His history and just the feelings towards the player and person from his time here as a great, great player made it pretty easy,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “Then, in addition to that, him talking to EK [Eric Kendricks], Harrison Smith, or Kirk [Cousins] or any of the guys he played with, I think he was excited to come back and be a part of it and we were really fired up to get him.”