Getty Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings on Thursday lost a key rotational piece along their defensive line after he suffered a season-ending injury.
Defensive tackle James Lynch tore his ACL during a practice session on August 3. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the following day that the injury will require surgery, thereby ending Lynch’s 2023 campaign before it begins.
#Vikings DT James Lynch tore his ACL in practice Thursday and will undergo season-ending surgery, per source.
A fourth-round pick in 2020, Lynch has played in 37 games over three seasons in Minnesota. He’ll have time to get healthy before hitting free agency in March.
“#Vikings DT James Lynch tore his ACL in practice Thursday and will undergo season-ending surgery, per source,” Pelissero tweeted Friday afternoon. “A fourth-round pick in 2020, Lynch has played in 37 games over three seasons in Minnesota. He’ll have time to get healthy before hitting free agency in March.”
James Lynch Was Above-Average NFL Defensive Tackle for Vikings in 2022
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings will need to find a solution on the defensive line after losing backup defensive tackle James Lynch to an ACL tear.
Lynch was a meaningful member of the Vikings’ defensive front in 2022, particularly against the run.
The DT posted an overall player grade of 64.9, bolstered by an exceptional rush defense grade of 72.8, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). As a result, the advanced analytics website ranked Lynch the 51st best interior defender in the NFL last season out of 127 players who saw enough snaps to qualify at the position.
Lynch appeared in 15 games for Minnesota in 2022, earning two starts and playing 276 total defensive snaps on the season, per Pro Football Reference. He also played 51 snaps for the Vikings on special teams.
The defensive lineman sat out the Minnesota’s final two regular season games due to a shoulder injury, though he returned for the team’s home playoff matchup against the New York Giants over Wildcard Weekend, in which Lynch registered one tackle.
Vikings Must Rely More Heavily on Defensive End Dean Lowry in James Lynch’s Absence
GettyDefensive lineman Dean Lowry, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, will play for the Minnesota Vikings in 2023.
Lynch was slotted as the Vikings’ backup defensive end of the left side of the line, according to the team’s depth chart as listed on ESPN.com. While labeled a defensive tackle, Lowry technically plays DE in Minnesota’s 3-4 base scheme, though his responsibilities are essentially that of a traditional DT in a 4-3 scheme.
Ahead of Lynch on the depth chart is former Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Dean Lowry. The Vikings added Lowry in March via free agency, signing him to a two-year, $8.5 million contract.
Lowry will embark on his eighth NFL campaign in September at the age of 29. The Packers’ former fourth-round pick (No. 137 overall) in 2016 tallied 43 tackles, including one tackle for loss, six quarterback pressures, five QB hits, one pass breakup and 0.5 sacks for Green Bay last season. PFF ranked Lowry as the league’s 71st best interior defender in 2022, with an overall player grade of 59.3.
Barring any unforeseen developments, Harrison Phillips will start opposite Lowry on the right side of the Vikings’ defensive front. Khyiris Tonga is slotted to anchor the line at nose tackle after signing a one-year deal to return to Minnesota in February.
The Vikings added Tonga to the roster in October of last year via the NFL waiver wire after the Chicago Bears released the defensive lineman during the final round of 2022 preseason cuts in August. Tonga played a stint with the Atlanta Falcons‘ practice squad last season before ultimately signing in Minnesota.
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Vikings Lose Major D-Line Contributor for Season to ACL Tear