Eric Risberg / AP
Oakland Raiders nose tackle P.J. Hall during NFL football practice Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, in Napa, Calif. Both the Oakland Raiders and the Detroit Lions held a joint practice before their upcoming preseason game on Friday.
Monday, Aug. 3, 2020 | 6:03 p.m.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings acquired defensive tackle P.J. Hall from the Oakland Raiders for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2021, fetching a reinforcement for the interior on Monday after the opt out by expected starter Michael Pierce.
Hall was a second-round pick in coach Jon Gruden’s first draft back with the Raiders in 2018, selected 57th overall out of Sam Houston State. The 6-foot, 305-pound Hall played mostly as a reserve as a rookie and then started 12 games last season but failed to make much of an impact. Hall had 1 1/2 sacks, eight tackles for loss and 48 tackles in 30 games for the Raiders.
Over his college career, Hall made an FCS-record 86 1/2 tackles for loss and program records for sacks (42) and blocked kicks (14). He'll have a chance to fill the nose tackle spot the Vikings signed Pierce for in March after releasing stalwart Linval Joseph for salary cap savings. Pierce told the team last week he will sit out the 2020 season for health reasons, due to the risk that COVID-19 poses for him as an asthma sufferer. He uses an inhaler and also had a 2017 bout with pneumonia.
“I’ve told him, ‘We respect your decision for that, and we want to make sure that your health and safety always comes first,’” general manager Rick Spielman said. “So I think it’s going to be that type of year as we go through. You’re going to have to deal with a lot of different situations.”
“It just wasn’t safe for him to play, and really, honestly, if a player doesn’t think he’s safe and should do this, I’m with him 100 percent,” said coach Mike Zimmer.
The Raiders signed running back Jeremy Hill, who last played for New England in 2018. Hill has rushed for 2,898 yards and 29 touchdowns in 55 career games.
The Raiders also waived former starting linebacker Marquel Lee with an injury designation and announced that defensive end Jeremiah Valoaga and defensive back D.J. Killings opted out of the season because of concerns about the coronavirus.
