Minnesota Vikings 2018 season offseason forecast: Defensive tackles

There are some players at defensive tackle who the Minnesota Vikings may want to make a top priority in bringing back for the 2018 NFL season.

Much of the success of the Minnesota Vikings comes from their ability to stop the run and get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. That starts with the defensive line, where the big guys can shine.

The defensive tackles were a big part of creating good opportunities up front for Minnesota. Their mixture of experience and youth were a recipe for success in 2017 but that unit may not stay intact for 2018.

Let’s take a look at the players at defensive tackle who are under contract heading into the 2018 NFL season and who the team will need to make a decision on heading into the new year according to Spotrac:

Defensive tackles under contract in 2018

• Sharrif Floyd (FA in 2019)
• Jaleel Johnson (FA in 2021)
• Linval Joseph (FA in 2023)

Defensive tackles set to become free agents

• Dylan Bradley (UFA)
• Tom Johnson (UFA)
• Shamar Stephen (UFA)

The Vikings made the smart move of locking down Joseph for the long haul and have a promising young player in J. Johnson to develop. However, the losses of T. Johnson and Stephen could be concerning considering the future of Floyd is still totally up in the air.

Offseason options

• Finally make a decision on Floyd. Even though he was a first-round draft pick, Minnesota needs to figure out if they can plan on Floyd for the future. If not, they may be better off cutting ties with him.
• Decide what Tom Johnson is worth. Bringing the veteran back would be smart, but he has likely established himself as a possible starter for some teams in the NFL. This means the Vikings may have to open the wallet to bring him back.
• Keep Stephen in mind. Stephen hasn’t gotten the attention Johnson has, but has flashed when put into big situations. Considering the lack of depth currently under contract, Minnesota should want to bring him back or at least consider it heavily.

What the plan should be

The Vikings should try their best to bring back Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen. Bringing at least those two, along with Linval Joseph and Jaleel Johnson, into training camp provides a solid base to build off.

Then, the team can look into some developmental players to hopefully make an impact. Whether that is a free agent, draft pick, or undrafted player, it’s always great to get young talent for depth and rotational purposes.

Next: 2018 offseason forecast for defensive ends

What do you think the Minnesota Vikings should do at the defensive tackle position heading into the 2018 NFL season? Tell us your gameplan and ideas in the comments section below.