It May Be Time for The Vikings to Get Creative at Center
K. Joudry
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Training camp is underway. There is a strong sense of optimism among the team and its fans. One source of consistent concern for the Vikings, though, is at center.
Garrett Bradbury is being given the opportunity to win the starting spot. The team has opened a clear path for the 2019 first-round pick to maintain his spot among the starting 5 offensive linemen. Unfortunately, the early reports from training camp aren’t particularly encouraging:
One wonders, then, if the Vikings will explore some more creative solutions at center. Take a look at the recent development for veteran Chris Reed:
Coming into camp, I predicted that Reed would win the starting spot at right guard. Currently, Jesse Davis looks like the favorite and Ed Ingram is getting opportunity with the starters. Perhaps the team will allow Davis and Ingram to battle for the spot beside Brian O’Neill, thereby allowing Reed to focus his attention on center.
Now, it’s no guarantee that Reed can succeed at center. Snapping is a skill that eludes many offensive linemen, especially when NFL-level defensive tackles are directly across the line of scrimmage. It’s possible, though, that some ongoing struggles will prompt the coaching staff to reconsider their plan of letting Bradbury essentially run unopposed for the Vikings starting center spot.
Per PFR, Reed had 3 penalties against him in 2021. Bradbury had 5 (with 3 more declined). In fairness, Bradbury did play more, so it makes sense that he committed more penalties. Even still, it’s discouraging to see that he had so many calls against him, especially given his 43.7 pass blocking score on PFF. Reed had a 55.5 pass blocking score. These tidbits of info suggest that Reed is better, but not necessarily by a dramatic amount. We also can’t forget the context of Reed playing guard and Bradbury playing center.
Of course, many fans will start to wonder about free agency and J.C. Tretter. If there was huge interest from both sides, Tretter would likely already be in a purple uniform. Maybe he isn’t interested in joining the Vikings, or perhaps Kwesi Adofo-Mensah doesn’t think he’s a great fit. The likeliest holdup, at least to my mind, is probably that there is a discrepancy between what the team is willing to offer and what Tretter is hoping to get on a contract. Depending on how things develop in the coming days, the Vikings may feel compelled to adjust their offer (if there’s one out there).
Unless there is a FA signing or a trade (more unlikely), the team will need to work with the talent already on the roster. Bradbury remains the favorite to start, but there are some signs that the team is considering all its options. Week 1 will feature a strong Packers defense with Kenny Clark lining up along the interior of their DL. Whoever starts at center for the Vikings will have his hands full.
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