Courtesy of Vikings Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has brought in one of his own guys.
The Vikings signed former San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Jullian Taylor to a one-year deal on Thursday, April 7, per a team release.
Adofo-Mensah, who helped draft Taylor in the 2018 draft as the 49ers’ director of football research and development, is giving the Temple product another swing at playing in the NFL after he missed the past two seasons.
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The #Vikings have signed DT Jullian Taylor (@JuTaylor8).
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Taylor Gets Another Chance
Taylor emerged as an NFL draft prospect despite an injury-marred college career. Taylor suffered a torn meniscus and ACL tear in the same knee in college, knocking him out of the 2016 season.
However, he flashed promise his senior year when successfully staying on the field. Taylor tallied 41 tackles and 11 tackles for loss in 12 games. It was a strong enough body of work to warrant the 49ers selecting Taylor 223rd overall in the 2018 draft.
At 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, Taylor came out of college as a defensive end prospect but was coveted for his quick twitch at the line of scrimmage and taking the fight to the offensive line. At his best, Taylor has shown to be a disruptive force who can win hand battles, fill running lanes quickly and finish as an effective tackler.
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It’s a longshot reclamation project for the Vikings, but Jullian Taylor had some upside before tearing his ACL. His athletic numbers were great coming out of Temple in 2018 and he showed some flashes with the 49ers.
Taylor made the 53-man roster his rookie year and played in the season’s final six games. He improved upon his rookie year in six games of action in 2019, recording nine tackles (four for loss), three pressures, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery. However, Taylor suffered another setback, tearing his ACL in December 2019 and has yet to play in an NFL regular-season game.
He was released last offseason and landed with the Tennessee Titans before being cut during training camp. Taylor was not rostered by any NFL team in 2021. In 12 games in the NFL, Taylor has one fumble recovery, four tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
Taylor joins a defensive tackles group in Minnesota consisting of presumptive starters Harrison Phillips and Dalvin Tomlinson and reserves Armon Watts, James Lynch, T.Y. McGill, Jordon Scott, T.J. Smith and Jaylen Twyman.
Taylor, likely signed to a veteran minimum, has a chance to land in the Vikings organization this offseason but will have to assert himself in the defensive tackle group that could see more promising rookie additions.
Vikings Preparing For Draft
The Vikings have continued to sign budget depth pieces throughout the offseason to bolster their roster ahead of training camp.
While few flashy moves have been made in an offseason filled with quarterback drama and wide receiver motion, Minnesota has quietly put itself in a position to draft the best player available with each of its picks.
Signing veteran offensive linemen Chris Reed and Jesse Davis assures an upgrade at the starting right guard spot and depth on the interior offensive line. Minnesota also signed four cornerbacks this offseason in Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan, Nate Hairston and Tye Smith. The Za’Darius Smith signing vaulted the Vikings pass-rush into the NFL’s upper echelon as well.
All three positions could use more weapons in the draft, but by raising the floor of those position groups, Adofo-Mensah won’t be pressured into drafting for need and possibly letting talent slip past the Vikings.
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