Can Raekwon Davis be Linval Joseph’s long-term successor in Minnesota?
By Dean Jones
The Minnesota Vikings will need to find a long-term replacement for Linval Joseph this offseason and Raekwon Davis could be their man.
Defensive tackle Linval Joseph was released from his deal with the Minnesota Vikings to ease salary cap concerns this year. That means the franchise is officially on the lookout for his long-term replacement.
Minnesota did recently add free-agent defensive tackle Michael Pierce. But to find a long-term replacement for Joseph, it’s more likely that the Vikings will try to select a prospect with an early-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft who can come in and start immediately.
There are plenty of intriguing players that have the potential to be available when Minnesota selects at picks No. 22 and 25. These include former Alabama standout Raekwon Davis.
The imposing defensive tackle enjoyed a phenomenal college stint with the Crimson Tide that saw him secure a National Championship during his time with the program. He is tailormade for the NFL and he will bring an awful lot to any team fortunate enough to acquire his services.
This is an area of significant need for the Vikings after parting ways with Joseph, which saved the franchise over $10 million in salary-cap space before the start of free agency. Davis is a player that looks like he could fit in with a Mike Zimmer defense and reinvigorate Minnesota’s production in the trenches.