Predicting the Vikings 2020 Depth Chart: Defensive Line
By Adam Patrick
Starting Defensive Tackles
Armon Watts
Many will have Shamar Stephen penciled in as the Vikings starting three-technique defensive tackle this season. However, Minnesota should turn to the interior pass rusher with a much higher upside in Armon Watts.
Watts didn’t get a chance to play until Week 10 last year and he remained on the Vikings active roster for the remainder of the regular season. Minnesota should give this 23-year-old defensive tackle a shot to start in 2020 and see if he can be more productive than Stephen was last season (which shouldn’t be hard).
Michael Pierce
The Vikings big free-agent signing of the year is a guy in Michael Pierce who is expected to take over Linval Joseph’s duties as the team’s starting nose tackle.
Pierce has some big shoes to fill (literally), but Minnesota clearly thinks he’s capable of the task since they gave him a fully guaranteed amount of $9 million in the three-year, $27 million contract he signed back in March. Will he make a name for himself in the Twin Cities or will Vikings fans be wondering why the team decided to let Joseph go this offseason?