CBS Sports Grades the Dalvin Tomlinson Signing
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings were quiet for about 12 hours on the first day of free agency. Rumors swirled as to whom the Vikings were speaking for possible free agent moves. Names like Joe Thuney, Shaquill Griffin, Carl Lawson, and Trey Hendrickson were semi-credibly linked to the Vikings, but none of those men ultimately donned purple and gold. In fact, all of the aforementioned players bolted elsewhere, leaving Vikings fans with names like Carlos Dunlap (DE) and William Jackson (CB) to mull.
But late on Monday night, Minnesota orchestrated its first splash signing with 3DT-NT Dalvin Tomlinson from the New York Giants. Seven years ago, general manager Rick Spielman plucked a defensive tackle in Linval Joseph from the Giants – also a large human – and he did it again in 2021.
While the Giants used the 27-year-old Tomlinson as a nose tackle in New York after Damon Harrison (most call him Snacks) departed, the Vikings will employ Tomlinson at the 3-technique position. Why? Because the team already pays Michael Pierce to play nose tackle. He’s even bigger than Tomlinson – not a statement most people can proclaim.
Tomlinson will bring instant legitimacy to the 3DT spot, particularly with stuffing the run. You know – the same team that allowed an NFL record six touchdowns to Alvin Kamara on Christmas – will now look back and giggle-grimace at the yuletide memory. Pierce and Tomlinson will ensure six-touchdown performances by running backs are wholly impossible in 2021.
And pundits like the move. CBS Sports gave the Tomlinson-to-Vikings transaction an A- grade. Cody Benjamin with CBS Sports said of the Vikings addition:
“Tomlinson is exactly their kind of addition: A big, gap-plugging body for Mike Zimmer’s defense. His presence should help their edge rushing situation, so long as Danielle Hunter actually returns to it.”
Beef in the Middle
As of about 10:00 pm CST on Monday, March 15 – the interior line for the Minnesota Vikings got super chunky.
Pierce and Tomlinson tip the scales at a combined 660 pounds. That’s the size of an oversized grizzly bear. And the run-stopping acumen of the tandem will lead to a grisly result for opposing running backs.
Evidently, head coach Mike Zimmer took the Vikings run-defense woes to heart. His team surrendered the sixth-most rushing yards to the opposition during the pandemic season. With Pierce and Tomlinson, that ranking should soar to the Top 10 and maybe even Top 5 in 2021.
Even in a pass-happy NFL, teams that stuff the run – reach the postseason. The league’s top run-stopping team during 2020 was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Remember how the season worked out for them?
Mediocre Days at 3DT Should Be Over
For too long, the Vikings have glossed over the 3-technique defensive tackle position. It’s an area where Zimmer tosses a journeyman and calls it good. Examples of this include Tom Johnson, Shamar Stephen, and Jaleel Johnson. This practice will end for at least two seasons, which is the duration of Tomlinson’s contract.
Minnesota utilized Sheldon Richardson at 3DT in 2018, and that squad, although generally disappointing, had a ferocious front-four with Danielle Hunter, Linval Joseph, Sheldon Richardson, and Everson Griffen.
Now, the defensive line is something like Danielle Hunter, Michael Pierce, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Stephen Weatherly or D.J. Wonnum or rookie EDGE rusher.
This forecast is multiple times sexier than Jalyn Holmes, Jaleel Johnson, Shamar Stephen, and Ifeadi Odenigbo from 2020. And, it’s not even close.
What’s Next for the Defensive Line?
What is unclear about the 2021 defensive line? Well, onlookers are unsure if the Vikings are “done.” Was the acquisition of Tomlinson a contingency plan for “missing out” on Carl Lawson and Trey Hendrickson? The idea would be: Well, we won’t terrorize off the edges from both sides, but damnit, we’ll stop the run like none other.
It remains to be seen if a right defensive end will be found to upgrade from Weatherly/Wonnum. Spielman is thought to be freeing up cap room with Adam Thielen via contractual restructure. In that scenario, Thielen would still get his money – just in a more creative manner.
Then, the Vikings can spend funds on a player like Carlos Dunlap – a man that played defensive end under Zimmer for four seasons in Cincinnati. Or, men like Bruce Irvin, Everson Griffen, Jadeveon Clowney are still unsigned. There’s always the draft, too.
Spielman and Zimmer could really transform the defensive line to a lethal force with one of those men. Otherwise, Zimmer can dispense free-agent cash to his other favorite spot – cornerbacks.