Image courtesy of Vikings.com
The Minnesota Vikings continued making moves on Monday, bring back defensive tackle Shamar Stephen. Stephen, who played with the Vikings from 2014 to 2017, spent last season with the Seattle Seahawks.
Dan Graziano of ESPN reported the Vikings and Stephen agreed to a three-year deal. Financial details were not immediately released. The deal will become official on Wednesday.
Stephen (6-5, 310) will return to the team that drafted him in the 7th round of the 2014 NFL Draft. More of a rotational player in his first stint with the Vikings, Stephen started 20 games in his first four NFL seasons, collecting 73 tackles. The 28 year-old was a stout defender against the run.
This appears to be a depth signing for the Vikings, who are also trying to re-sign Sheldon Richardson. Richardson and fellow three technique Tom Johnson are both scheduled to become unrestricted free agents. It’s unclear what impact Stephen’s signing will have on re-signing the free agents, but for now the team at least has a name on the depth chart.
The Vikings need to get better up front on both sides of the ball this offseason. While this may not be a splashy move, it’s an economical one. Stephen, who had a cap hit of $2.1 million in 2017, earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 60.4 in 14 starts with Seattle last season.
Welcome back to Minnesota, Shamar!
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I've never been a big fan of his, but I'd say this indicates that Zimmer and Co. want the run defense stabilized. If either Richardson or T. Johnson are also signed, and I'd expect only one, I wouldn't expect DT to be addressed in the draft earlier than Day 3.
Everson Griffen is a very versatile player, he has lined up in the 3-tech DT spot from time to time in the past. A rotation of Shemar Stephen, Tom Johnson (if resigned), and Griffen makes sense. With the emergence of Stephen Weatherly at DE and the desire of Anthony Barr to be more involved as a pass rusher... the Vikings could look to move Griffen inside more often in the nickel situations. The Vikings pass rush could be very hard to defend if Griffen and Barr are lined up all over the front seven and used in creative ways.