3 players who won't be on the Vikings roster after the 2020 season

3 players who won’t be on the Minnesota Vikings roster after 2020 season

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 11: Quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings talks to teammates in the huddle in the third quarter of the NFC Divisional Round Playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings at Levi's Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

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PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 17: Shamar Stephen #93 of the Minnesota Vikings in action against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 17, 2017 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. DT. Minnesota Vikings. Shamar Stephen. 2. player. 60

This past offseason, the Minnesota Vikings upgraded their defensive tackle corps by signing former Baltimore Raven stud Michael Pierce. That move came at the expense of veteran Linval Joseph, now with the Los Angeles Chargers. Head coach Mike Zimmer has a problem, and that’s who he’ll pair alongside Pierce in the starting lineup. And no, it won’t be Shamar Stephen.

Stephen is a non-factor as a starting defensive tackle on the Vikings. He played in 15 games last season, where he tallied 21 tackles and one sack. That’s it. As a starter! In fact, Stephen tallied six pressures on 350 pass rushing snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s inexcusable.

He may be the pseudo starter as of this writing, but that won’t last long. There’s already buzz coming out of Vikings camp that they’re in love with rookie James Lynch, fourth-round selection out of Baylor. He’s the reigning Big XII Defensive Player of the Year, where he sacked the quarterback 13.5 times…as an interior defensive lineman!

Lynch is Minnesota’s defensive tackle of the future, and that will result in the team opting to part ways with Stephen come 2021.

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