What will Dalvin Tomlinson add to the Minnesota Vikings in 2021?
The first splashy signing of 2021 for the Minnesota Vikings came in the middle of the night when it was announced on Monday that the team had come to terms with free-agent defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson.
Formerly of the New York Giants, Tomlinson was reportedly given a contract worth $22 million over the course of two seasons with $20 million of it in guarantees to join the purple and gold franchise through the 2022 season.
Defensive tackle was a big need for Minnesota following a frustrating and rather pathetic showing from the defense as a whole in 2020. Adding more talent through free agency or the draft to improve this phase of the game was a must.
Now that Tomlinson has landed with the Vikings, the questions of what he brings to the team and what his limitations might be have to be asked. First, let’s dive in and look at some of the things he does extremely well.
The Good
Experience and durability
Since joining the Giants as a second-round draft pick in 2017, the big defensive tackle has played in all 16 regular-season games for each of his four seasons, starting in all 64 of these contests as well for the G-Men.
Getting that kind of durability and consistency from anyone in the NFL is tough these days, especially with how physical the game can be in the trenches. He will be facing off against some extremely tough competition in the NFC North and he should be able to hold up against that kind of task.
Run-stopping ability
At 318 pounds, Tomlinson has a massive body that is tough for the opposition to move, clogging run lanes and slowing or stopping running backs. In fact, the big man has the second-highest run stuff rate in the NFL since 2017 among interior defensive linemen with a minimum of 800 snaps against the run.
Consistency
The statistics for Tomlinson during his last two seasons are nearly identical. He matched his marks in total tackles (49) and sacks (3.5) in these years, proving his play is no fluke. His tackles for a loss were quite close as well, with seven in 2019 and eight in 2020.
Leadership
Not only was Tomlinson an excellent defender for the Giants, but he was also a locker room leader. He was a team captain and a motivator who can bring a positive attitude as well as toughness to the defensive line.
The Bad
Not the prototypical 3T player
The biggest knock on Dalvin Tomlinson is his size. At 6-foot-3 and 318 pounds, he played both three-technique and nose tackle for New York in addition to getting snaps as a defensive end as a rookie.
Having an extra 15 to 20 pounds on his frame does slow him down a little as a pass rusher, but he has still consistently been able to get 3.5 sacks per year over the last two seasons despite playing at nose tackle.
A hefty contract
Spending $22 million over the next two years is a heavy investment in a defensive tackle by the Vikings. The amount of guaranteed money on his deal can be a bit scary as well considering the injuries some of Minnesota’s players endured during the 2020 season.
Even with his previous success with the Giants and his stellar health history as a pro, a contract like the one he got from the Vikings can be a roll of the dice. This is especially true since Tomlinson isn’t a prolific pass rusher from the interior of the defensive line.
What to expect from Tomlinson in 2021
It is a massive relief to see the Vikings move on from Shamar Stephen on the defensive line. His ineffective play helped lead to highlight-reel games from opposing teams and made the other defenders on his team have to work harder to perform at a high level.
Now, Dalvin Tomlinson will step into a situation next to Michael Pierce to form a barrier on the interior of the defensive line that opposing teams may want to scheme to get around instead of charging directly at.
That said, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Tomlinson come off the field in pass-rush situations such as third and long and hail mary instances. Knowing how Mike Zimmer operates his defense, he will do anything it takes to get pressure and this would be a logical and one that the big defensive tackle likely understands.
Having two big, bruising defenders in the middle of the line should open up the game for Eric Kendricks to move about freely and be even more effective in coverage, as a pass rusher, and in pursuing ball-carriers.
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There is no reason to believe Tomlinson’s production from the Giants will drop at all with his new situation with Minnesota. He should step right into a starting role and produce at a high level to help the defense return to form after an embarrassing 2020 campaign.