Brian O’Neill and The Open Discussion of Replacing the Vikings’ Stud Right Tackle
Back in the 2018 NFL Draft, Rick Spielman made one of the best decisions in his time as the general manager by scooping up Brian O’Neill at No. 62. An NFL time machine would surely involve Mr. O’Neill getting picked far higher in a redo of that event.
The right tackle is now moving into his eighth NFL season. He’s a cornerstone player, someone who has a “C” on his chest and who is operating at a near elite level. At the end of April, O’Neill took some time to chat with the media, talking about free agency, expectations, and the team’s approach to roster building. Within those reflections is a detour into the player talking about the Vikings working toward replacing him.
Brian O’Neill & The Vikings’ Future at RT
To be sure, the comments from Brian O’Neill are not about finding a new right tackle in 2025.
Rather, it’s an acknowledgement of the cruel reality of the league he plays in: eventually, Minnesota will opt to go younger, cheaper, and/or better as his play declines, doing so in an effort to be more competitive on Sundays.
Consider the reflections from O’Neill after being asked about seeing teammates depart in free agency: “That’s the name of the game, right? The team’s always trying to get better, that’s the environment you want to play in, that’s the kind of team you want to play for, that’s always striving to get better and improve.”
“They’re not doing their job,” O’Neill goes on to explain, “if they’re not looking for my replacement at some point.” The right tackle says that the team’s top leaders are pushing ahead “to continually push the needle to make this place as best as it possibly can be” due to a desire in Eagan to “get the best.”
As it relates to the most recent approach to team building, Brian O’Neill seems to hint at a renewed sense of urgency to build a top-level roster: “You want to be held to a high expectation, and I think you feel that a little bit more this spring.”
Most prominently, one thinks of the turnover that took place at quarterback. Gone are Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and Nick Mullens. All offered their own upside and appeal, but Minnesota decided to move on from all three in favor of a rebuilt quarterback room.
Other prominent Vikings to sign elsewhere include safety Camryn Bynum, edge rusher Patrick Jones, and left tackle Cam Robinson. Center Garrett Bradbury got cut, Ed Ingram was traded away, and Dalton Risner has yet again been left in free agency. Three of the team’s top corners from last season — Stephon Gilmore, Shaq Griffin, and Fabian Moreau — were left to hang out in free agency, as well.
So, Brian O’Neill’s point certainly hits home. The Vikings are embracing change in the name of improvement. One even wonders if there could end up being an O’Neill cut next offseason in an effort to free up precious cap space.
Elsewhere in the same presser, Brian O’Neill discusses the urgency he feels to have meaningful team success. Again, we’re talking about a well-established veteran who has been in the NFL since 2018. The single, lonely playoff win in his career shouldn’t be satisfying to anyone, him least of all.
When he was a Viking, Kirk Cousins could be found saying that the NFL actually stands for “Not for Long.” The saying is meant to reveal how the league can quickly move on from players (a truth that’s probably hitting in a new way given the Atlanta situation). Brian O’Neill, apparently, has taken notice of that saying, applying its truth to his own situation.
O’Neill is 29. He’ll hit 30 on September 15th, just as the 2025 regular season gets moving.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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 Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.
