Minnesota Vikings impressed by DT Shamar Stephen
By Adam Carlson
Defensive tackle Shamar Stephen is drawing some heavy praise from the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff following rehabilitation for his foot injury.
When glancing over the first unofficial depth chart for the Minnesota Vikings, there are a couple of interesting things to notice, but one thing fans may not have expected was the placement of defensive tackle Shamar Stephen.
Related Story: First unofficial 2016 Vikings depth chart
Stephen was a forgotten man entering, having been lost for a majority of the 2015 campaign following a toe injury that ended his season. Now he is listed below Linval Joseph as the starting nose tackle, and seems to have surpassed Kenrick Ellis for at least the moment.
On Monday, Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards had absolutely nothing but praise for Shamar Stephen, including great things to say about his work ethic and ability to rebound from his injury. Here is a quote about Stephen from Edwards as shared by Vikings.com:
"“I think he’s done a great job [this offseason],” Edwards said. “I mean, Shamar has a great work ethic – he was in the building every single day getting ready. He really worked hard to get to the point where he is right now.”"
The fact that Ellis was able to step in and do a solid job in place of Joseph is great, but it seems as though Shamar Stephen is ready to step back in and play at a high level.
But it’s more than just being physically ready. Stephen has been working hard to be mentally ready for action this season as well, and his coaches believe he’s sharp as a tack and fundamentally sound.
"“Fundamentally and technique-wise, he’s as sharp a guy as you want up there on the front,” Edwards said. “It’s money in the bank – he’s going to give you exactly what you ask for or attempt to do it with the best of effort.”"
Next: Vikings game-by-game 2016 season preview
You can see Shamar Stephen when he returns to action for the Minnesota Vikings during the 2016 NFL season. If this training camp and his history as a player are any indication of his future, Stephen could be a valuable asset for the squad moving forward.