The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms with former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Shamar Stephen, according to The Denver Post‘s Ryan O’Halloran. Stephen is the second ex-Viking new general manager George Paton has signed this offseason, joining running back Mike Boone.
Stephen (6-5, 309 pounds) was a defensive tackle in Minnesota’s 4-3 defense. In Denver’s base 3-4 scheme, it remains to be seen if Stephen will line up as a defensive end or as a nose tackle.
If he plays as an end, Stephen will likely provide rotational depth behind starters Shelby Harris and Dre’Mont Jones. If he plays as a nose, Stephen would likely be the top backup behind starter Mike Purcell.
Stephen entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick out of UConn with the Vikings in 2014. After spending the first four years of his career in Minnesota, Stephen had a one-year stint with the Seattle Seahawks before returning to the Vikings in 2019.
Stephen started 31 games in Minnesota over the last two seasons, totaling 55 tackles, five quarterback hits, three pass breakups and 1.5 sacks. In his career, Stephen has recorded 173 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 98 games (65 starts).
Leave a Reply