Fan and analyst alike were surprised by the development: Khyiris Tonga — the Vikings’ powerful nose tackle who shined last season — had been benched in favor of 5th-round rookie Jaquelin Roy.
Standing at 6’4″ and tipping the scales at 338, Tonga offers the kind of size Minnesota is lacking along the defensive line. The next largest person along the DL is Harrison Phillips, who is listed as being 307. Tonga has the clear edge over the one affectionately known as Horrible Harry, so the prevailing wisdom was that the former Chicago Bear would be playing a critical role for Minnesota in 2023.