We Signed Dalvin

Source: Dalvin Tomlinson to #Vikings
2 years, $22M
$20M total guarantee
$16M fully guaranteed
$15M Signing Bonus
$16M First Year

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2021

Interesting signing for sure.

Another nose tackle.  They must like him as a 3T and could be thinking down the line a bit if they want to move on from Pierce.

Yeah I don't get it. He's a decent player but he's not a pass rusher and we already have Pierce at NT

perhaps Pierce is taking another year off?

@"supafreak84" said: Yeah I don't get it. He's a decent player but he's not a pass rusher and we already have Pierce at NT

Might be one of these cases where he is a better scheme fit as a 3 technique in our defense instead of playing the nose like he has in New York. Reading a lot of comments from Giants fans on social media who are very complimentary of this guy and towards this signing. One thing for certain is we aren't going to be pushed around up front like we were last season 

People don't always think of analytics when talking about NTs.. but being able to stop the run with your front 5 and keeping less men in the box is a huge win. If he develops as a pass rusher that will be icing. This will allow Barr and Kendricks do a lot more. 

I also read this from November...

#Packers made a run at #Texans WR Will Fuller this week, but that wasn’t the only standout they offered a mid-round pick for. Source said they attempted to trade for #Giants DT Dalvin Tomlinson, tho NYG resisted dealing the captain even though he’s in the final year of his deal.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 8, 2020

From everything else I've read, he's also a leader in the locker room.

People think huh, two nose tackles. Or we can look at it like we’ll have roughly 660 pounds of power driving on passing plays. With two big strong guys, you don’t necessarily need a classic penetrator. Not when your guys can put their guys in the lap of the QB. That’s another way to cause hurries/mayhem.

makes sense on many levels. stop the run first, protect LB’$, draft thin on impact IDL. 

nice signing  could not stop the run at all last year

@"Geoff Nichols" said: People don't always think of analytics when talking about NTs.. but being able to stop the run with your front 5 and keeping less men in the box is a huge win. If he develops as a pass rusher that will be icing. This will allow Barr and Kendricks do a lot more. 

Seriously though, what does this say about the cap expenditure?

Does it take them out of the running for a defensive end?

Did they add any void years to Dalvin's deal?

Do they still have their eye on a guard like Lane Taylor?

Well they couldn't stop the run up the middle last year. They couldn't stop the run when they knew it was coming and had to make a stop. I like this signing. A couple more good draft choices on defense and Pierce coming back in shape, and the Vikings could be a fair amount better than last year.

So what about Geno then? Assuming they signed Tomlinson as a 3T, that is...

love this signing!  The defense just got better and the run stopping along with our two starting linebackers running free is a huge deal.  If they can redo Theilans deal and then redo hunters this defense will be stout up front.  We need a couple of mid level guards too.

Tomlinson was well-regarded in the Giants locker room and was even a captain last year. I am happy for any efforts to upgrade at DT, but I would have preferred to add someone who could generate quick pressure up the middle. If they can't afford a pass rusher, then upgrading the run D and freeing up the DEs and LBs to get after the pass makes the D better. I just hope that this is not a sign that they are concerned about Pierce.

I really think this signing along with Pierce and Barr returning could help the pass rush. 

~660 snaps last year, 287 at NT. He's more of a 3T. I kept saying we'd have a Pierce caliber signing. His final three college teams were Bama, Georgia, and Harvard. After missing out on Shelby Harris, this makes sense. We certainly won't get pushed around in the run game anymore.

Very quick just went and watched some film of newly “signed” #Vikings DL Dalvin Tomlinson

Quick take aways

He’s got a knack for shedding blocks
Really good lateral movement
He’s explosive off the snap
Lots of hand power
High motor player

Can’t wait to watch more of him #Skol pic.twitter.com/8obx1ATKnU

— Matt Anderson (@MattAnderson_8) March 16, 2021