NFL free agency: Giants lose DT Dalvin Tomlinson to Minnesota Vikings

The New York Giants have lost defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, who will join the Minnesota Vikings after agreeing Monday to a two-year, $22 million deal.

Tomlinson started every game for New York since the Giants selected him in the second round of the 2017 draft.

The 27-year-old delivered 3.5 sacks and 49 tackles in each of the past two seasons in East Rutherford. In 2020 he put up a career-high 10 QB hits and 8 tackles for loss. He also registered a career-high in snaps, playing 60 percent of the Giants defensive plays in 2020.

However, Tomlinson appears to have become a salary cap casualty after the Giants placed the franchise tag on fellow defensive lineman Leonard Williams. The Giants, in an effort to create cap space, are working to sign Williams long-term and re-structure the contract of offensive tackle Nate Solder. Neither of those deals has yet come to fruition.

Entering free agency, the Giants had only slightly more than $2 million in salary cap space, leaving them with little to go after Tomlinson.

They did achieve some form of insurance on Monday, though, inking veteran defensive tackle Austin Johnson.

In other free agency news, the Giants also signed backup running back Devontae Booker. The Giants will pay Booker $6 million over two years.

Booker’s deal likely means that Wayne Gallman, Dion Lewis and Alfred Morris — all free agents — will not be back with the Giants in 2021.