A player that had one of the more interesting seasons for the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 is going to be back for another go in 2016.
Excited and proud to say I'm signed for another year with #Vikings !!! Time to pick up where we… https://t.co/alqSNJSGIc
— Justin Trattou (@Justin_Trattou) March 12, 2016
Defensive end Justin Trattou has re-signed with the Vikings on a one-year deal. Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.
Coming out of Mankato, Trattou was the #3 defensive end on the roster behind Everson Griffen and Brian Robison. He battled a foot injury for much of the year, and by the time he got healthy again he had been surpassed by rookie Danielle Hunter. As a result, Trattou only played in five games in 2015.
Strangely, Trattou had as many interceptions in 2015 as he had credited tackles. . .two of each. He had an interception of Matthew Stafford in the Vikings' Week 2 victory over the Detroit Lions, and he also picked off Jay Cutler in the team's Week 15 win over the Chicago Bears. Those two interceptions tied him for the second-highest total on the team with Captain Munnerlyn and Harrison Smith. (Terence Newman led the team with three picks.)
We don't know for sure what sort of role Trattou projects to have for the 2016 Minnesota Vikings, but if he can regain the momentum he had in early 2015, he could wind up being a valuable piece in the Vikings' defensive line rotation.