The list of Vikings who posted more than one interception in 2015 is very short: Terence Newman (3), Harrison Smith (2), Captain Munnerlyn (2), Justin Trattou (2).
Yes, defensive end Justin Trattou had as many picks in 2015 as Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith. It gets even flukier when you realize Trattou played in only five games and ended up with as many interceptions as tackles.
Okay, so Justin Trattou is not going to continue being an off-the-charts interception machine for the Vikings if they bring him back for 2016, but I still think they will bring him back.
The Vikings obviously are very high on Trattou. The defensive end was injured early in the season and by all rights should have ended up on season-ending IR at some point, but the Vikes kept him off IR, allowing him to return late in the year and contribute to their playoff run.
Clearly, Mike Zimmer sees something in Trattou. Those picks may be fluky but they also indicate that he has the ability to drop in coverage as a defensive end and make plays. Zimmer traditionally has liked to drop his defensive ends.
I personally would be surprised if the Vikings don’t bring back the 27-year-old Trattou for next year.