Dalvin Tomlinson Signs Free Agency Contract with Vikings

The first Bama Pro to sign during the Free Agency Frenzy period is defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson, who reportedly agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal Monday night to play with the Minnesota Vikings. @MySportsUpdate was the first to report the signing, while NFL Insider Ian Rapoport first reported the specifics of the deal.

A second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Tomlinson put in four productive years for the New York Giants, racking up 207 tackles, 21 for loss, 20 QB hits and eights sacks. Seven of his sacks and 19 of the QB Hits came in the past two seasons as Tomlinson has developed as an interior pass-rushing threat.

He'll join a Mike Zimmer defense in Minnesota that relies heavily on the versatility of interior defensive linemen in both the run and passing game. After averaging about 50 tackles per season and now ramping up his pass rush, it's no surprise the Vikings were interested in the former Crimson Tide nose tackle.

While in Tuscaloosa, Tomlinson was a dominate force over the center, totaling 122 tackles and four sacks. While he's never been the most glamourous or most talked about player at either level, Tomlinson has turned in a very respectable on-field career.

Get our free mobile app

His off-the-field work last year was such an effort that the New York Giants named Tomlinson as the franchise's nomination for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Though Tomlinson didn't win the award, he still carries an extraordinary list of community efforts aiding those with diabetes, cancer and children who have lost parents and siblings among other projects.

Read More: 3 Alabama Alumni Named Walter Payton Man of the Year Finalists

Tomlinson is heavily involved in the American Diabetes Association's "Team Tackle Initiative," the  American Cancer Society as a "Crucial Catch Ambassador,"  Kate's Club in Atlanta and Good Grief in New Jersey.