The Vikings signed Michael Pierce to be a big piece of their defensive line this season, but they’ll have to look another direction for help on the line of scrimmage.
NFL Media reported that Pierce has decided to opt out for the 2020 season. He’s the first Vikings player to make that decision and told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press that having asthma contributed to his decision.
Pierce signed a three-year deal with the Vikings this offseason and was set to make $3 million in salary during his first year in Minnesota. That will now be his salary for the 2021 season and he’ll receive an $350,000 advance on it as stipend for this season as his respiratory issue puts him in the high-risk category.
Shamar Stephen, Jalyn Holmes, Jaleel Johnson and Armon Watts are among the remaining options on the interior of the defensive line for the Vikings.