Defensive line (5)
- Harrison Phillips, James Lynch, T.Y. McGill, Dalvin Tomlinson, Armon Watts
Minnesota’s base defense will look a little different this year with three linemen and four linebackers on the field, but that doesn’t mean the job is going to be any easier for the big men up front to clog running lanes and create winning situations for pass rushers.
At the moment, Dalvin Tomlinson is the only starter returning to the line from the start of last season but he will have plenty of help thanks to former Bills defender Harrison Phillips joining him in the trenches.
To complete the starting lineup. big man Armon Watts is a great fit to plug holes and direct traffic. He did a great job filling in for Michael Pierce when he was out the last two seasons and should be a reliable player going forward.
T.Y. McGill will be the primary backup to Tomlinson at the nose with James Lynch being the reserve on the ends. If Minnesota keeps a sixth defensive lineman, it would be an amazing story if Jaylen Twyman can land on the 53-man roster, but he might not be ready yet.