Former Vikings offensive lineman finds a new home in Houston
By Adam Patrick
Former Minnesota Vikings first-round draft pick Matt Kalil has reached an agreement to play for the Houston Texans during the 2019 season.
Hopes were high for Matt Kalil when the Minnesota Vikings used a top five selection on him in the 2012 NFL Draft. The Vikings figured he would be a fixture on the left side of their offensive line for at least 10 years.
Now entering his seventh season in the NFL, Kalil hasn’t played for Minnesota since 2016 and he already seems to be on the last legs of his pro career.
He was released by the Carolina Panthers on March 14 and now the former Vikings offensive tackle has actually found a team that still wants to give him another shot. On Friday, multiple reports revealed that the Houston Texans and Kalil have agreed to a one-year deal.
Given his recent injury problems and his underwhelming play, this could be one of his last opportunities to prove he belongs on an NFL roster.
Kalil is coming off of a knee injury that kept him out of the entire 2018 season. In 2016, the offensive tackle only appeared in two games for Minnesota thanks to an injured hip.
After a disappointing tenure with the Vikings, Kalil decided to leave the Twin Cities to go play with his older brother and the Panthers. Despite him struggling to block well during the majority of his career, Carolina still agreed to give the former Minnesota first-round draft pick a five-year deal worth $55.5 million.
No longer a member of the Panthers, Kalil will now try to help a Texans offensive line that gave up an astounding 62 sacks in 2018. Why Houston believes that the former Vikings offensive tackle will be of any use to them is something that not many probably have the answer to.
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Besides his very first season, Kalil has never been able to prove that he has what it takes to be a reliable offensive tackle in the NFL. He may be wearing a different uniform now, but don’t expect much to change for the guy who was never able to live up to the expectations he was given in Minnesota.