SATURDAY: Pierce is now back on Minnesota’s active roster. The Vikings moved Pierce to their game-day 55-man squad Saturday, putting the mammoth D-tackle in position to play for the first time since Week 4.

WEDNESDAY: The Vikings have designated nose tackle Michael Pierce for return from the injured reserve list, per a club announcement. After missing his last seven games, Pierce is finally on the verge of retaking the field.

Pierce enjoyed a great Week 1, collecting two sacks, two tackles for loss, two QB hits, and seven tackles against the Bengals. After that, he was clearly less than 100% and limited to just two tackles over the next three games. Then, when his elbow injury flared up against the Browns, the Vikings were forced to put him on IR.

Pierce, 29, spent his first four seasons with the Ravens. He joined the Vikings on a three-year, $27MM deal in 2020, but missed the year after opting out. His contract tolled, so he remains under club control through 2023.

The 5-6 Vikings could activate Pierce as soon as this week, allowing him to play against the winless Lions. They may also get some additional bulk up front if Dalvin Tomlinson is able to come off of the COVID-19 list.

Michael Pierce suffered an elbow injury on Sunday, and the Vikings nose tackle could end up missing time thanks to the ailment. Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star-Tribune reports (via Twitter) that Pierce “could be out a while.”

The veteran was limited to only 21 defensive snaps during Sunday’s loss to the Browns. The 28-year-old had a great Week 1, collecting two sacks, two tackles for loss, two QB hits, and seven tackles, but he was limited to only a pair of tackles over the next three games.

After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Ravens, Pierce joined the Vikings last offseason on a three-year, $27MM deal. The defensive tackle ended up opting out of the 2020 season.

The Vikings have already started preparing for Pierce’s absence, signing T.J. Smith to the practice squad. As Goessling points out, Smith is already a bit familiar with the Vikings scheme after having played for current assistant defensive line coach Imarjaye Albury at Arkansas. The reporter also suggests that Dalvin Tomlinson could move to nose tackle with Pierce out of the lineup.

Vikings defensive tackle Michael Pierce suffered a calf injury while working out this week (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). He could miss the start of training camp, but doctors believe that he’ll be good to go for the season opener.

The Vikings inked Pierce a three-year, $27MM deal last March. Then he opted out, so they haven’t seen him in live action.

In 2019, his last time out on the field, Pierce logged 35 tackles (two for loss) in 14 starts for the Ravens. Previous to that, he graded as one of the top interior defenders in football in 2017 and ’18, per Pro Football Focus. The advanced metrics pegged him as a middle-of-the-pack defender in his contract year, but he still managed a decently-sized deal in free agency — a pandemic-altered offseason no less.

Barring any setbacks, Pierce projects to start at nose tackle with Dalvin Thompson, Danielle Hunter, and Stephen Weatherly joining him up front. Of course, the recently-signed Sheldon Richardson also figures to get into the mix.

6:05pm: The deal is done, and it’s a nice one for the four-year veteran. Pierce agreed to a three-year, $27MM contract with the Vikings, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. The 27-year-old defender will receive $18MM guaranteed, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

5:47pm: With longtime Vikings defensive tackle starter Linval Joseph bound for Los Angeles, the team appears close to bringing in a big-name replacement.

The Vikings are close to a deal with former Ravens D-lineman Michael Pierce, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. The sides are discussing a three-year contract, per Anderson.

Minnesota has retooled considerably in recent days, moving on from some key starters. Pierce would represent a solid first-stringer to come in and fill Joseph’s spot. Pierce graded as one of the top interior defenders in football in 2017 and ’18, per Pro Football Focus, before dipping to a middle-of-the-pack spot in his contract year.

The 6-foot, 340-pound defensive lineman recorded 35 tackles (two for loss) last season in 14 starts. The Ravens, however, have made changes up front as well. They’ve added Calais Campbell and Michael Brockers, almost certainly signaling a lucrative Pierce contract is off the table.

Starter Shamar Stephen, fourth-year cog Jaleel Johnson and third-year player Jalyn Holmes remain under contract with the Vikings, so it will be interesting to see what the team pays for Pierce. The mammoth lineman had a conditioning issue that prevented him from early work at Ravens minicamp last year. The former UDFA rebounded in time for the regular season, however, and resides as one of the top defensive linemen left on the market.