Vikings Acquire Former 2nd Rounder From Raiders, But There’s a Catch

The Minnesota Vikings just made a move to add to the competition at nose tackle following the news of Michael Pierce opting out of the 2020 season.

The Vikings traded a conditional seventh-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for defensive tackle P.J. Hall, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Hall will have to make the 53-man roster and play in six games for the Raiders to receive the pick.

The trade is a win-win for both sides as the Raiders are looking to get something from Hall, who they spent a second-round pick on in 2018, while the Vikings are looking for a replacement, and at the very least, depth on the defensive line.

Hall’s main concern has been his work ethic with the Raiders despite starting in 12 games last season. Raiders coach Jon Gruden called Hall out last week with concerns over his weight. “P.J. Hall, I’m anxious to see where his weight is, he came in overweight last year and at that position that can’t happen,” Gruden said. He was reported to have been cut on Monday before the trade was confirmed.

With the Vikings and guidance of Mike Zimmer and defensive line coach Andre Patterson, Hall will have a fresh start in Minnesota. When asked about whether the Vikings would go out to free agency to find a replacement for Pierce, Zimmer was quiet about the team’s plans.

“Without going into too much detail, we’ve got a plan and will stick to it,” Zimmer said.

The trade comes on the same day the Vikings confirmed a multi-year contract extension with general manager Rick Spielman.

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Taking Stock of the Vikings Defensive Line

With Pierce gone, the Vikings are without the one true run stuffer in their defensive line. It’s now becoming a patchwork repair of the defensive interior with smaller defensive tackles in Shamar Stephen, Armon Watts, Jaleel Johnson and now Hall.

“Zimmer’s entire defensive scheme only works with a dominant [nose tackle],” former Vikings offensive lineman Jeremiah Sirles tweeted in March. “That’s just a fact.”

Hall was touted for his run-stopping abilities out of college but will likely need to catch on quickly to make an impact this season. He will already be set back by missing this coming week of training camp due to the acclimation and testing period of introducing a new player to camp, and if he is overweight, there is even less time for him to get into game shape and make the 53-man roster.

Hall played under Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, who worked with Zimmer during their time with the Cincinnati Bengals, which should help with his familiarity with Zimmer’s scheme.

Hall, similar to Shamar Stephen, has played nose tackle and the three-technique in his 30 games with the Raiders.

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Trevor Squire is a Heavy contributor covering the Minnesota Vikings and journalism graduate from the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities. Connect with him on Twitter @trevordsquire and join our Vikings community at Heavy on Vikings on Facebook.

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