Michael Pierce, defensive tackle
It feels weird to be excited about seeing defensive tackle Michael Pierce in action, but he hasn’t been able to live up to his potential since signing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to the 2020 NFL season.
Pierce missed his year season in purple and gold when he sat out amid COVID-19 concerns but joined the team for 2021. Still, he couldn’t seem to find his footing and has played in only eight of the team’s games this season.
With a full offseason of being able to heal his wounds and prepare for the upcoming season, it could be exciting to see what the big nose tackle can do. If he can Dalvin Tomlinson can be healthy at the same time, they could finally be that dominating force in the middle Vikings fans were hoping for.
Minnesota’s defense has been underwhelming the past couple of seasons, especially against the run. Having their big man in the middle to eat up space and shove blockers backward is an exciting concept to think about.