Ex-Vikings O-Lineman Gets a Shot with New Team
At the time, many felt that Rick Spielman pulled off some highway robbery. Landing guard Wyatt Davis at 86th overall looked like a stellar move, especially since it coincided with scooping up tackle Christian Darrisaw at 23rd.
But while things have worked out with Darrisaw, Davis never caught on in Minnesota.
In fact, the ex-Vikings o-lineman has turned into a bit of a journeyman across his three seasons in the NFL. Most recently, Davis has received a chance to help out in Cleveland (the former employer for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah). Cleveland’s official social media announced the decision earlier in the month: “We’ve signed G Wyatt Davis and waived DT Jayden Peevy.”
Ex-Vikings O-Lineman Wyatt Davis Gets a Shot with Browns
Currently, the situation at guard is far rosier than the Vikings of yesteryear.
For far too long, the Vikings were working with solutions that weren’t that: solutions. Players like Dakota Dozier, Pat Elflein, Dru Samia, and several others made it difficult for Kirk Cousins to stand in the pocket without getting suplexed. The current cluster of Dalton Risner, Ed Ingram, and Blake Brandel is a step forward even if the trio falls short of elite.
Somewhere within that modest history, though, was Mr. Davis. There was real upside and optimism with that pick.
The Vikings were the proud owners of the No. 14 pick but opted for a trade down. Spielman packaged No. 14 with No. 143 in exchange for No. 23, No. 66, and No. 86. Minnesota stepped away from those three selections with LT Christian Darrisaw (slam dunk), QB Kellen Mond (missed shot), and RG Wyatt Davis (missed shot).
Davis had a lot of supporters at the time, though.
The NFL scouting blurb was largely optimistic: “There is no questioning Davis’ strength or toughness. He has plenty of highlight reels spotlighting a chippy field demeanor. However, there are questions about whether his lack of desired physical traits and body control are things he can work around consistently as a pro. He’s powerful at the point of attack. He plays with leverage and leg drive in the run game, but the average control and athleticism make him more of a phone-booth blocker. He has the anchor and hand quickness to handle his work in pass protection but his recovery talent is a bit limited. Davis should be an NFL starter for a power-based run scheme but his lack of length, body control and footwork prevent him from playing wide on a consistent basis.”
Not to be outdone, PFF offered a positive assessment while putting him at 61st on their board: “Davis has some of the best pass-blocking tape of any interior lineman in the class. Unfortunately, he also dealt with a recurring knee injury in 2020 that cost him multiple parts of games.” A bit lower, there’s this tidbit: “While we didn’t see the leap to dominance we hoped for, he still almost never loses one-on-one in pass protection.”
In the end, Wyatt Davis was a Viking from April 30th, 2021 until August 30th, 2022. In other words, the Kevin O’Connell regime moved on after Davis had been in town for just a single season. As a rookie, Davis didn’t get any work with the offense, but he did snag 28 snaps on special teams.
Since the Vikings moved on, Davis has been all over the NFL. The guard has picked up work with the Giants, Cardinals, and Saints. The Browns represent his fifth team in less than four years in the NFL. Cleveland has one of the league’s better offensive lines, with Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio both receiving excellent grades from PFF. Davis will thus be working toward snagging a depth spot.
Cleveland has a lot of connections with the Vikings. Former players like Jordan Hicks, Za’Darius Smith, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Hakeem Adeniji are calling Ohio home. And, of course, Kevin Stefanski is the head coach of the Browns.
Before their preseason game, the Vikings and Browns will participate in joint practices.
Davis is still only 25.
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 and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.