3 former Vikings players who could come back at a new position

T.J. Clemmings – DT

When the Vikings used a fourth-round pick on offensive tackle T.J. Clemmings in the 2015 NFL Draft, most labeled him as a young blocker that needed some time to develop before he was ready to be a starter.

But thanks to an injury to starting right tackle Phil Loadholt before the start of the 2015 season, Clemmings was thrown into the fire sooner than anyone would’ve liked. Unsurprisingly, he struggled mightily as a rookie and during his second year with Minnesota as well.

Clemmings probably would’ve had a better chance to be successful if he was given more time to learn from the sidelines, or maybe if he switched back to the position that resulted in him being the top high school football recruit in New Jersey in 2010.

Before converting into an offensive lineman, Clemmings spent the first three years of his college career at Pittsburgh as a defensive end. As a redshirt sophomore in 2012, he appeared in eight games and racked up 20 tackles (including one for a loss).

At his current size (6-foot-4, 337 pounds), Clemmings probably is not going to be able to slim down enough to line back up as a defensive end. But if he could shed around 20 pounds, he could possibly use his old skills as a pass rusher to convert into a solid three-technique defensive tackle.

Clemmings’ career in the NFL as an offensive lineman has not turned out well, so a switch back to the defensive side of the ball doesn’t seem like it would be a huge risk for the former Vikings fourth-round pick.