Former Viking Hits the Shelf in Baltimore
His playing time had already been slashed, but former Minnesota Vikings nose tackle Michael Pierce will hit the shelf for the Baltimore Ravens.
Former Viking Hits the Shelf in Baltimore
Pierce suffered a calf injury last weekend and will visit Injured Reserve, guaranteed to miss the next four games.
The Athletic‘s Jeff Zrebiec tweeted, “Ravens place NT Michael Pierce (calf) on injured reserve. Corresponding move to add WR Diontae Johnson.”
Fellow defensive tackle Travis Jones, a 3rd-Rounder from the 2022 NFL Draft, will now presumably cover nose tackle responsibilities for the Ravens, and truth be told, he had already overtaken Pierce per defensive snap count. He’ll just become the full-time NT for the next four weeks.
Baltimore also has defensive tackle Josh Tupou on the practice squad for depth.
To date in 2024, Pierce has logged appearances in all 7 games, tabulating 15 total tackles, 10 QB pressures, 3 QB hits, a sack, and a 65.6 Pro Football Focus grade. Unfortunately for his sake, he was only seeing action about one-third of all Ravens’ defensive plays, down 22% from the 2023 campaign.
Pierce joined the Vikings via free agency in 2020, the club’s splash move of that offseason. Then, he sat out all season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later suited up in 2021. Pierce’s departure from Minnesota after the 2021 season was bittersweet because the nose tackle was terrific on the field when he played.
On the whole, however, Pierce only played in 24% of games after signing his deal with the Vikings. In 2021., the Vikings mismanaged various Pierce injuries, and that was a wrap for his career in Minnesota.
Pierce tallied three sacks and twenty combined tackles — in eight games with the Vikings. He rejoined the team that drafted him, the Ravens, during 2022 free agency and has remained since. Nine months ago, Baltimore extended Pierce’s contract, inking him to a two-year, $7.5 million extension.
The veteran nose tackle should be back in time for the postseason, assuming the Ravens’ fancy 2024 season continues. Baltimore sits atop the AFC North by its lonesome with a 6-2 record, getting chased by the rival Pittsburgh Steelers at 5-3. The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns were expected, too, to contend for the AFC North but are currently showcasing a trashy 5-11 combined record.
Pierce will turn 32 next week.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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