Very Quietly, A Vikings Lineman Has Taken a Step Forward
Vikings lineman Garrett Bradbury hasn’t always had it easy.
The No. 18 pick from the 2019 NFL Draft arrived in Minnesota with huge expectations. Some envisioned a scenario where the Vikings were getting Jason Kelce 2.0, which are massive shoes to fill. Instead, the center has regularly struggled in pass protection while being an above-average run blocker due to some high-level athleticism. Has he taken a step forward in 2024?
Vikings Lineman Garrett Bradbury & The 2025 Season
Credit to head coach Kevin O’Connell and o-line coach Chris Kuper: they’ve helped push Bradbury toward a better version of himself.
Most who followed the team thought that the center was a bust as the new regime took over. Working under O’Connell’s and Kuper’s tutelage, though, seemed to blow some wind into Bradbury’s sails. He offered tidier — not spectacular — play in 2022. The end result was a three-year commitment from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah that comes to a total of $15.75 million.
Fast forward into 2024 and things are again looking reasonably optimistic.
In fact, PFF insists that Bradbury is a top-ten option at the center position. The veteran comes in at 9th out of the 38 who are considered with a very respectable 69.5 grade. Really helping the overall score is a 77.9 run-block grade, which comes in at 5th among centers.
The pass blocking, to be sure, hasn’t risen into elite territory. Across 724 snaps, Bradbury is getting dinged with allowing 2 sacks, 3 hits, and 23 pressures. Plus, he has committed 6 penalties. Again, not elite.
At 29, Bradbury is already a bit older, but that doesn’t seem to be slowing him down. If anything, he has taken steps forward since the new regime took over.
So much of what made him an appealing prospect is his athleticism. He ran a 4.92 forty — very fast for an offensive lineman — while still tossing up 34 reps on the bench press. The suggestion was that Minnesota was getting a unique blend of athleticism and strength at a critical position. Plus, he has received praise in the past for having a brain in his head, which is critical for the center position given the need to communicate with his linemen.
Part of the issue in recent seasons is that he has been forced to miss time due to injury. In 2021, Bradbury was involved in just thirteen games; in 2022, Bradbury was involved in just twelve games; in 2023, Bradbury was involved in just fourteen games. The current season, however, has involved a fully healthy Garrett Bradbury. Not only has he started all eleven contests, but Bradbury has played every snap of the season: 724 in total.
As a team, Minnesota is enjoying more running success than at any point in the O’Connell era. So much of that credit goes to Aaron Jones, the free-agent pickup who is showing that he still has plenty left in the tank even though his 30th birthday arrives in less than a week.
A major part of what’s making it work, though, is what’s happening up front.
To that end, Garrett Bradbury’s strong grades take on a bit of added meaning.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.