The Vikings are adding to their defensive line. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that Minnesota is signing nose tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the deal is worth $22MM, including $20MM in total guarantees.
Tomlinson has been a consistent starter since joining the Giants in 2017. The defensive lineman has started each of the Giants’ 64 games over the past four years, averaging 26.6 tackles and two sacks per season. He had another solid season in 2020, finishing with career-highs in tackles for loss (eight) and QB hits (10). Pro Football Focus ranked Tomlinson as the 25th-best interior defender out of 126 qualified players in 2020.
While there were reports that the Giants wanted to retain Tomlinson, there were also rumblings that the organization was shopping the defensive lineman during last year’s trade deadline; the Packers were mentioned as a potential suitor for the nose tackle.
The Vikings have apparently been in the market for defensive linemen. We heard whispers earlier today that they were a potential suitor for Trey Hendrickson, who ultimately signed with the Bengals. Despite the Tomlinson signing, it sounds like Minnesota is still prepared to roll with defensive tackle Michael Pierce next season.
Nice signing
Didn’t they sign Micheal Pierce last offseason?
Yes. Who starts next to him
We run a 4-3. Two DTs start
Neither Pierce nor Tomlinson have ever played more than 60% of defensive snaps, so they’ll be our two-down linemen and mostly rotate out on passing downs.
Cka2nd is correct, but of course, that’s kind of what you’d expect from that position. If Minnesota can get Tomlinson and Pierce (who has played at a listed weight of 340) on the field together, their run defense should shoot up from where it was last year when their defense took a steep nosedive.
Free agency has shown that Mike Zimmer is focused laser-like on improving the team’s run defense. Stephen Weatherly (DE), Dalvin Tomlinson (DT) and Nick Vigil (LB) are all, first and foremost, run defenders. And it’s been said in the past that all things flow from stopping the run in his defense. They’ve had offers out for defensive ends and cornerbacks, too, and maybe offensive linemen, but I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that they were putting a lot of their time into thinking about stuffing the run.
Great signing. As a Giant fan I will miss DT. Great player and a very professional good guy. Vikes taking another one of our DTs just like Linvall Joseph. Maybe one day we will resign one of our own.
I miss him too
Great player. As a Giants fan sad to see him go. Was a leader both on the field and in the locker room. Sad to see him go.
same
Damn.. Vikings are gonna be a tough team to run up the middle against next season.
Not to worry the 20 yard pass works better against that secondary
I was hoping they let Williams go and bring back Tomlinson. I knew all along they couldn’t afford both.
Vikings fans are taking a lot of heart in this signing from the fact that Giants fans are so disappointed about it.
Spielman needs to focus on their OL— they had a bad OL last year and cut their best OL due to $$$.
Two yrs 22 million, not understanding why Giants didn’t resign. I know we don’t have much space but again he was a big part of our d line. Also should have resigned Gallman. Waste two yrs 6 million on a traveled running back