They may not be Pat and Kevin of the "Williams Wall," two defensive tackles that shut down running games a decade ago for the Vikings.
But defensive tackle Shamar Stephen's return to Minnesota has coaches envisioning a similar impact when he and nose tackle Linval Joseph form a 638-pound barricade up front this season.
"It's a linebacker's dream," said linebacker Eric Kendricks, who has led the team in tackles four times.
Stephen, 28, is coach Mike Zimmer's answer to losing Sheldon Richardson in free agency to the Browns. Stephen, a 2014 seventh-round pick by the Vikings, became the team's priority in free agency in March when his one-year contract expired in Seattle.