The Vikings Have an Under-the-Radar Star in Training Camp
This year’s Minnesota Vikings training camp features a true quarterback mystery for the first time in a decade when Teddy Bridgewater tried to take the starting job from Matt Cassel.
J.J. McCarthy has done mostly well in his practice reps, but since most of them came with the second team, Sam Darnold is still fairly entrenched as the team’s starter.
The Vikings Have an Under-the-Radar Star in Training Camp
The offense has some question marks. Following the departure of wideout K.J. Osborn, the Vikings are looking for a new WR3 next to Justin Jefferson and wingman Jordan Addison. Jalen Nailor has turned some heads.
Another change transpired in the backfield, where Aaron Jones is asked to elevate the rushing attack to respectable performances after a dreadful season on the ground. He needs help from the offensive line. Better blocking equals better rushing.
Minnesota re-signed both backup Blake Brandel and starter Dalton Risner, but their roles might be swapped in the upcoming season. Through three weeks, it has been Brandel with the first-team offense, while Risner has been working at both guard spots with the backups. The recently released unofficial depth chart confirmed that order.
Albert Breer (SI.com) visited practice this week and came away with some takeaways. Brandel is his under-the-radar star of training camp:
Blake Brandel. The big, strong, athletic five-year vet got a three-year extension from the Vikings in March, largely on the versatility he showed the last few years in backing up several spots on the line (he actually started at left tackle for an injured Christian Darrisaw for a few weeks in 2022). That said, the coaches felt like he might benefit from being able to focus on playing one spot, and that’s proven correct in slotting him in this summer at left guard. He, Ed Ingram and Dalton Risner are still battling for the two guard spots, but I’d bet on Brandel sticking as the starting left guard.
Brandel was a 2020 sixth-round pick out of Oregon State. He didn’t make the team in his debut season, but the Vikings kept him on the practice squad. In year two, he started on the active roster but was demoted to the practice squad after a couple of games.
In his third season, the first with Kevin O’Connell in charge of the offense, he was named backup tackle and started three games during Christian Darrisaw’s absence. Last season, Brandel was moved to guard, and he replaced Ed Ingram in a couple of contests.
Brandel is slated to enter the starting lineup in his fifth season after playing 39 games (5 starts) in the last three years.
Head coach O’Connell said on the Rich Eisen Show in June, after the team added Risner to the roster: “We bring back Dalton Risner, who’s gonna compete like crazy at the guard spot with both Ed Ingram and Blake Brandel.”
To this point, there hasn’t been much competition. It is Ingram at right guard and Brandel on the left side.
The 27-year-old can make his debut as a full-time starter on September 8.
Cut, Keep, Trade: Exploring the Fate of Three Vikings Players from the 2022 NFL Draft
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt