Vikings Must Decide between Rectangularity and Experience
The upcoming training camp will feature some fascinating competitions. The Minnesota Vikings need a new starting quarterback, and it will be either rookie J.J. McCarthy or Sam Darnold. At the wide receiver position, the third option behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison is up for grabs, and the starting cornerbacks are a mystery.
Vikings Must Decide between Rectangularity and Experience
Another audition, perhaps the closest of them all, is on the offensive line. Ezra Cleveland isn’t around anymore, but the Vikings re-signed last year’s starter Dalton Risner, and his backup, Blake Brandel.
Interestingly, last season’s status quo is, in this case, not an indicator of who’s coming out victorious. Brandel agreed to a three-year contract worth $9.5 million, while veteran Risner received a one-year contract for $2.41 million.
The experience is obviously on Risner’s side. He has started 73 contests in the NFL, including 11 on the 2023 Vikings. Since the Broncos selected him in the second round in 2019, Risner has been a starter in the NFL outside of the first few weeks with the Vikings.
Brandel, meanwhile, has only started five games. Minnesota’s longtime backup replaced Christian Darrisaw three times at left tackle in 2022, and right guard Ed Ingram missed a pair of games in 2023. Without any doubt, if the coaching staff wants a more experienced player or the guy who was ahead on the depth chart last year, Risner is the obvious starter.
However, this is not how it works. The better player will be the Week 1 starter, and the coaches love Brandel. In June, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted: “You wouldn’t expect a former backup offensive lineman to be the talk of Vikings practices, and it’s not as if Brandel was on the tip of the tongue of every coach and player this spring. But it was exceptionally notable to watch how events played out at the left guard spot. After four years as a backup guard and tackle, and increasingly unsolicited raves from coaches.”
The reporter picked Brandel as the team’s offseason standout and added that he remained the first-team starting left guard even after Risner’s return.
Wes Phillips, offensive coordinator in his third season with the team, praised Brandel a few days before Risner’s return appeared in the news: “I’m really excited about Blake. I feel like he gets bigger every time I see him. He’s just a massive man on the inside. But he’s in great shape; he’s always been very coachable,” Phillips told reporters at May’s organized team activities (OTAs). “You talk about technique, fundamentals, footwork, hand placement, all the things that are critical for the O-line — one false step for an O-lineman could be a catastrophe — it’s been very encouraging so far with him stepping into that starting spot on the left.”
Phillips has been a big proponent of the former sixth-rounder. He praised his player for his size last August, using a rather funny description: “He kind of gives you a comfort level because he does things the right way; he’s a large man inside. You like to have those big rectangular guards. You love those rectangle guys.”
Long story short, Brandel has the coaches on his side, and the unknown of him perhaps gives the team some upside. Risner, meanwhile, provides a solid floor. He won’t wow anyone, but teams can do worse at guard than starting the former second-rounder.
In five seasons in the league, Risner’s PFF scores usually rank him somewhere in the middle:
- 2019: 64.4 (32nd/83 eligible guards)
- 2020: 61.3 (49th/80)
- 2021: 68.5 (28th/82)
- 2022: 61.1 (42nd/77)
- 2023: 57.1 (46th/79)
His floor is that of a low-end starter, and his ceiling is that of an average starter. Risner is a decent pass-protector, but his flaws in the running game can sink the rushing attack, which was a major issue in 2023.
Brandel’s numbers in two games at right guard weren’t too promising, with eight pressures allowed and two penalties drawn. His grades in the small sample size suggest that he might be a superior run blocker and a downgrade versus the pass rush.
It will be a fascinating battle once the veterans arrive at training camp on July 23rd.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus, Over the Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Vikings Vibes: 5 Key Takeaways from the Spring
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