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This is Part 5 in the Strib's series grading Vikings players on the 2016 season.

Vikings grades, outlook: Danielle Hunter breaks through crowded defensive line, makes bid to start

The Vikings’ vaunted defensive line started strong, leading the league in many areas through a 5-0 start before teams fully committed to scheming against them, especially on passing downs. Tackling was an issue as the defense ranked in the bottom third of the league in efficiency, per Pro Football Focus, which included too many misses along the defensive line.

The scale:

5 = excellent season
4 = above average
3 = average
2 = below average
1 = failure to perform

The grades:

Everson Griffen (4.0)
Danielle Hunter (4.0)
Linval Joseph (4.0)
Brian Robison (3.5)
Tom Johnson (3.5)
Shamar Stephen (2.0)
Justin Trattou (2.0)
Sharrif Floyd (N/A)
Toby Johnson (N/A)
Stephen Weatherly (N/A)
Scott Crichton (N/A)
B.J. Dubose (N/A)
Sterling Bailey (N/A)

Shamar Stephen (2.0): Played 550 snaps [53.1%] in an increased role without Floyd in the lineup all season. Started a career-high 16 games, playing more in potential run situations. The former seventh-round pick has impressed coaches with his early development, but he didn’t provide much of a push and did not have a tackle behind the line of scrimmage in his third NFL season. That development has not come as a pass rusher, where Stephen had just nine QB hurries and no sacks. Missed four tackles. Flagged once.

Sharrif Floyd (N/A): Played 25 snaps in the season opener in Tennessee before requiring arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in September. Missed 15 games. His recovery took longer than the Vikings expected as he was kept on the active roster for 12 weeks before he was placed on injured reserve. Floyd has now undergone operations on both knees in the last two seasons, missing 20 games across the last three seasons. The talented first-round pick may have to renegotiate a deal to stay in Minnesota as he’s under contract for a pricey fifth-year option that isn’t guaranteed until March.

The top 3 do not surprise anyone. Robison had a good year and Johnson too.
We are missing 1 piece along that DL and it's a big fatty. Someone that cannot be moved. A Fat Pat type. Those guys are out there and this draft has quite a few again.
I would be very happy with a 3rd round guy like Jaleel Johnson, Vita Vea, Elijah Qualls, Jarron Jones, Carlos Watkins.
I never understood why we never pursued a guy like Vince Wilfork or any other big Nose Tackle type? I get we run a 4-3, but to me, that nose tackle would be too tough to block. Reason I want one, keeping OL off our LBers.

That grade for Linval Joseph is too low. The man had more than 100 total tackles as a defensive tackle, which is insane. Linebacker numbers. PFF voted him All-Pro in 2015, and his 2016 season was actually better.

J. Kapp 11 wrote:That grade for Linval Joseph is too low. The man had more than 100 total tackles as a defensive tackle, which is insane. Linebacker numbers. PFF voted him All-Pro in 2015, and his 2016 season was actually better.

He did have a strong season.

NFL.com lists Joseph with 77 combined tackles for the year (37 solo, 40 assisted). Is the 100+ tackle figure from PFF?

IIsweet wrote:
We are missing 1 piece along that DL and it's a big fatty. Someone that cannot be moved. A Fat Pat type. Those guys are out there and this draft has quite a few again.

You should get your eyes checked, you somehow are not seeing Linval Joseph and that makes me fear you being on the same roads I drive.

The one reservation I have about this group is that there were stretches of the season where it felt like our DE dissappeared or were not contributing. I'm not sure if this was opposition game planning or some other issue, but it was agitating. Overall this was a strong group though.

I didn't know Floyd had his knee scoped. That makes the season long injury report a little more understandable.

mansquatch wrote:

You should get your eyes checked, you somehow are not seeing Linval Joseph and that makes me fear you being on the same roads I drive.quote]

Funny HaHa, but not so funny !
Actually alongside him is what I was trying to get to. Remember the Williams Wall ? Joseph resembles KW, but we do not have a PW !!! Would be really nice though to prevent the OL from getting to the 2nd level and allowing our athletic LBers to roam and make plays.

I would argue that what we need much more than a run plugger (as has been mentioned, Linval Joseph is that guy) is a disruptive 3 technique. That's the role Floyd should be playing, but he hasn't been reliable. Even if they decide not to cut him for the cap savings, they need to find another penetrator.