The Good And Not-So-Good From The 2021 Minnesota Vikings Offensive Line
As was the case for most of the 2021 Minnesota Vikings, the offensive line was inconsistent throughout the season. Eight different linemen had snaps during the season, with four of them splitting significant snaps among them. Subpar offensive line play, as we came to expect throughout the Mike Zimmer era, was pretty normal.
The Good
Right tackle Brian O’Neill was once again the team’s best offensive lineman. He made sure to do well on the five-year, $92.5 million extension he signed prior to the regular season, earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl. O’Neill only allowed one sack, two QB hits, and 19 total hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. Overall, he boasted the team’s best overall blocking grade (73.7) and pass blocking grade (78.1).
Rookie left tackle Christian Darrisaw, the 23rd overall pick of the 2021 draft, also left an impression on fans. After missing camp and the first four games of the season, Darrisaw made his way into the lineup in Week 5. One week later, he took over the starting job, missing two games the rest of the season. In his 11 games, though, Darrisaw held up well on Kirk Cousins’ blind side. He was only flagged three times and allowed 11 total hurries. PFF did credit him with five sacks, but we’ll give him a pass for limited work in the offseason and general rookie struggles.
Center Mason Cole was acquired via trade in the off-season and actually posted the third-highest PFF grade among Vikings’ offensive linemen. His 75.2 run-blocking grade trailed only Darrisaw, and he started seven games in the middle of the season before being placed on injured reserve to end the year.
Finally, left guard Ezra Cleveland, a left tackle in college, appeared to have settled into the interior better than expected. He posted a 68.5 PFF grade along with the third-best run blocking grade among the offensive line. He only allowed one sack on the season and was the only lineman outside of O’Neill who played every game of the season.
The Not-So-Good
Third-year offensive lineman Oli Udoh finally broke into the starting lineup in 2021. He actually came out of the gates hot, posting PFF grades of 69.7 and 80.9 in Weeks 2 and 3. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off in Week 4 against Cleveland. Udoh allowed seven hurries and eight pressures. Over the next five games, he committed nine penalties, a total that was more than any other Vikings offensive lineman had all season.
When Darrisaw went down in Weeks 13 and 14, Udoh slid over to left tackle (as Cole took over for Udoh at right guard). Udoh once again struggled, allowing eight pressures. He was penalized three times, leading to him not seeing any action in Week 15. For the season, Udoh allowed 38 hurries and 45 pressures. His 16 penalties was tied for the second-most of any offensive lineman in football.
Udoh’s fellow third-year offensive lineman Garrett Bradbury also had a rough season. The former first-round pick didn’t do much to fight off the “bust” label. He started 13 games, getting benched in favor of Cole in the middle of the year. Always known as a better run blocker than pass blocker, Bradbury posted the worst run grade of his career in 2021 (61.9). His 43.7 pass-block grade was third-lowest on the team, and one has to wonder if the team will look for his replacement in 2022.
Finally, perhaps the most confusing development of the 2021 Vikings offensive line was that of Wyatt Davis. Selected in the third-round of the 2021 draft, Davis was heralded by many as one of the most “pro-ready” linemen in the entire draft. Instead, he spent most of the season on the sideline despite Udoh’s struggles. When Udoh went down briefly against Baltimore, it wasn’t Davis who came in to replace him. Instead, Blake Brandel, known more as a tackle, filled in for Udoh, even though Davis was active for the game.
What To Expect Moving Forward
With head coach Kevin O’Connell coming in with a brand-new offensive system, expect many changes along the line. In the second half of Zimmer’s tenure, the Vikings opted for smaller, agile linemen who weren’t as powerful at the point of attack. Under O’Connell, the team could look to beef up the interior of the line. This could come at the expense of a guy a like Cleveland. Even though he was formidable at left guard, he was drafted as a left tackle. Where is his ceiling, and is it worth waiting out to see if it comes to fruition?
Bradbury will likely not be tagged with his fifth-year option. He could return to the starting lineup in 2022, but don’t be surprised if the Vikings draft his replacement to take over either during the season or in 2023. Even if he does return to the starting lineup, don’t expect to see Udoh next to him at right guard. He may have a spot on the team as a swing-tackle or utility lineman, but he was exposed as a full-time starter.
The tackles appear to be set in stone for a while, granted that Darrisaw takes a step forward in 2022. So most intriguing among all of the returning linemen is Wyatt Davis. With all of the struggles the offensive line had under Zimmer, we’ll call Davis’ rookie season a wash. Now that he has an offensive-minded head coach, who likely will have a clear and defined plan for every position, expect to see Davis challenge for a starting spot in 2022.
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