Vikings News: Minnesota steals another defender from the Packers

The biggest Minnesota Vikings news on Friday involved them agreeing to a contract with former Green Bay Packers defender Dean Lowry.

Some thought we might hear some Minnesota Vikings news related to Dalvin Cook or Za’Darius Smith on Friday, but the team made headlines by signing former Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Dean Lowry instead.

Vikings News: Former Green Bay Packers DL Dean Lowry helps make up for the loss of Dalvin Tomlinson

Earlier this week, veteran defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson chose to sign a lucrative multi-year contract with the Cleveland Browns instead of returning to the Vikings for the 2023 season. Tomlinson had been with Minnesota since he signed with them as a free agent in 2021.

Some believed the departure of Tomlinson could result in the Vikings using an early-round selection on a defensive lineman in this year’s NFL Draft. This could still happen, but by signing Lowry on Friday, Minnesota has someone who can step in for Tomlinson if they can’t find a replacement in the draft.

The 6-foot-6, 296-pound Lowry was selected by the Packers in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and all seven of his seasons in the league were spent in a Green Bay uniform.

He’s started a total of 80 games in his career, and with the Packers last season, he finished with 43 tackles (one for a loss), five quarterback hits, 0.5 sacks, and one pass deflection.