Dalvin Tomlinson quickly signs with new team after release from Browns

Veteran defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson didn’t last long on the free-agent market. After getting released by the Browns at the start of the week, Tomlinson is signing with the Cardinals, per Field Yates of ESPN. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds that the deal is for two years with a base value of $29M, including $16M in guaranteed money.

Tomlinson has been a full-time starter in the NFL ever since the Vikings drafted him in the second round out of Alabama in 2017. While he doesn’t stuff the stat sheet with sacks (only 19.0 in his career), he’s been plenty disruptive throughout his career, racking up tackles for loss (36) and quarterback hits (67) aplenty. Tomlinson really hangs his hat on being one of the more well-rounded defensive tackles in the league, often seeing his run defense grades as high as his pass rush grades on Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Tomlinson had a decent year in 2024, grading out as the 32nd-best interior defender of 118 players graded by PFF. While that was certainly a strong bounce back from 2023, when he graded 57th (the worst of his career), it still hasn’t been up to par with every other season he’s played with the Giants and Vikings, when he would routinely rank in the top 20.

Tomlinson becomes the second big addition to the Cardinals’ defensive line this offseason, joining the huge, impact signing of defensive end Josh Sweat. Along with Sweat, Tomlinson joins a line that also features defensive tackles Bilal Nichols, whose first year in Arizona was cut short last season with a season-ending stinger, and defensive tackle Justin Jones, who also missed most of the season with a torn triceps. They’re also joined by L.J. Collier, who re-signed with the team today on a one-year deal.

The Cardinals didn’t really get to see what their line could look like with Nichols and Jones for a full season, but now they’ll have a rotation of those two with Tomlinson. After being a weakness due to injury for most of last year, the defensive line is starting to look pretty strong in Arizona.