How will Linval Joseph’s legacy with the Vikings be remembered?
By Dean Jones
How will the Vikings fare without Joseph?
The Minnesota Vikings knew they were letting one of the locker room’s biggest personalities go when they parted ways with Linval Joseph. They moved quickly to bring in a plug-in-play starter to fill the void.
Michael Pierce joined the franchise after a good spell with the Baltimore Ravens on a three-year, $27 million deal that included a $6 million signing bonus and $18 million guaranteed. The Vikings also gave themselves an out regarding the player in 2021 if the signing does not pan out as expected.
There are a lot of similarities between Pierce and Joseph. Both are tremendous against the run and have the ability to get after the quarterback on occasions. The Vikings are going to need their new recruit to hit the ground running to ensure they stand a good chance of making a postseason run in 2020.
This is a defensive line that has also lost Everson Griffen. The Vikings will be without two productive veterans and others need to grasp the opportunity of becoming a more prominent feature for the organization going forward.
Much will also depend on the play of Shamar Stephen, who has endured his fair share of problems in Minnesota and more will be needed from him when competitive action gets back underway.
There is a high likelihood the Vikings will take a defensive lineman early in the NFL Draft later this month. This will also help strengthen their options during a pivotal campaign.