3 former Vikings the team should consider adding before the 2021 trade deadline

Linval Joseph – DT

Current Team: Los Angeles Chargers

Since the return of linebacker Anthony Barr in Week 5, the Vikings have seen their run defense take some steps in the right direction.

Even with Barr back though, Minnesota still gave up over 100 yards on the ground to a pair of teams in the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers (minus Christian McCaffrey) that should not have experienced as much success running the ball that they did. So the Vikings should still be working on ways to improve their defense’s ability to stop the run if they want to remain in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs this year.

During his tenure with Minnesota, Linval Joseph was one of the best interior defenders at stopping the run in the entire NFL. In each of Joseph’s final three seasons with the Vikings, the team’s defense finished as a top-15 unit against the run, which includes 2017 when they allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game.

Even though Minnesota expects Michael Pierce to return from his elbow injury when they take on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8, it might be a good idea for the Vikings to consider improving their defensive tackle depth with a trade for Joseph.

It’s not like Minnesota’s run defense was good when Pierce and Dalvin Tomlinson were lining up in the middle of their defensive line earlier this season. So the Vikings should at least give the Chargers a call about what it would cost to acquire their former Pro Bowl defensive tackle.