Former Vikings Pro Bowler Heads to Buffalo
Josh Frey
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During the mid-to-late 2010s, the Minnesota Vikings defense was consistently one of the most dominant groups in the NFL.
During the magical 2017 season, Minnesota’s defense allowed the fewest points in the league, holding opponents to just 15.8 points per game. A big reason for that was their massive nose tackle in the middle of the defensive line, Linval Joseph.
Over the past few seasons since leaving the Vikings, Joseph has been a journeyman across the NFL. On Thursday morning, he joined his newest team by signing with the Buffalo Bills.
Former Vikings Pro Bowler Heads to Buffalo
Field Yates of ESPN reported the signing by tweeting, “The Bills have signed veteran DT Linval Joseph and placed CB Kaiir Elam on IR.”
Buffalo has been in a bit of a rough patch over the past few weeks, going 2-2 during their past four games. The hope is that some extra beef in the middle of their defensive line can help turn the tides.
The New York Giants selected Joseph in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. During his first four years in New York, he put together 175 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks. He was part of their Super Bowl run during the 2011 season and started all four of their playoff games.
Following the conclusion of his rookie contract in 2014, Joseph joined the Vikings, and he remained with the team for six years. He was part of three playoff runs along the way, including Minnesota’s 2017 run to the NFC Championship Game.
Joseph started 88 games for the Vikings, recording 350 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, and six forced fumbles with Minnesota. He was a Pro Bowl selection in both 2016 and 2017.
Prior to the 2020 season, Joseph signed with the Los Angeles Chargers, but it was becoming clear that the then 32-year-old was beginning to enter the twilight of his career. After being a huge disruptor throughout his early NFL seasons, he had just 6 tackles for loss and a single sack during two seasons in LA.
This is now the second consecutive season that Joseph has joined a potential playoff contender in the middle of the year. He hopped on with the Philadelphia Eagles for the final eight games of the season and helped get them to the Super Bowl.
Now, the former Super Bowl champion is hoping to do the same thing in Buffalo, joining a defensive front that includes Von Miller, Tim Settle, Ed Oliver, and Greg Rousseau as the current starters.
In order to free up space for Joseph, the Bills placed CB Kaiir Elam on injured reserve. After being a first-round pick by Buffalo in 2022, the cornerback has started 8 games for the Bills, recording 55 tackles, a tackle for loss, 4 passes defended, and a pair of interceptions. He has been able to play just three games during 2023.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.