ESPN is pleading with the Minnesota Vikings to use defensive tackle Justin Madubuike of the Baltimore Ravens to bolster their run defence and pass rush, as the Vikings defensive front is in desperate need of help.
The impending free agent Madubuike, who could fill multiple roles for a defensive front that returns only Harrison Phillips as a consistent player, should be signed by the Vikings, according to ESPN’s Aaron Schatz.
“30-year-old Dean Lowry missed half of the previous season due to a pectoral injury, and he has only 0.5 sacks in the last two years. Defensive end Jonathan Bullard is a free agent. Schatz noted, “The Vikings’ defence might use work at 5-technique defensive end, although it improved tremendously last season.”
“Madubuike, who can play as a 5-tech end or a 3-tech tackle, steps in. He was voted second-team All-Pro and had 13 sacks with a career-high 56 total tackles in a breakout season. He is a formidable run defender in addition to being a potent pass rusher.
Justin Madubuike’s Prospects in Free Agency
Madubuike, a third-round selection in 2020, had a breakthrough season in 2023, recording 15 sacks and 77 pressures in 19 games. According to Pro Football Focus, Madubuike’s wins above replacement (WAR) ranking was 10th.
He was ranked second among defensive interior lineman and sixth overall by Pro Football Focus this summer. Based on these rankings, Pro Football Focus predicts that he will sign a four-year, $92 million contract this spring.
“Madubuike has a good chance of winning the award for the player who makes the most money in 2023. This season, Madubuike has at least half a sack in 13 of 17 games, more than doubling his previous high. In addition, he precisely quadrupled his overall pressure output, according to the PFF free-agency report. “His effort and intensity on backside chase plays have always been there, and Madubuike is poised to pay in big time with an enhanced move set and a more explosive first step.”
The Vikings defence has been lacking an interior pass-rusher for years in Madubuike.
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