Vikings’ 2024 Rookie Just Made a Depth Chart Jump
The Minnesota Vikings addressed most of their roster flaws in the first week of free agency, acquiring a handful of presumed starters for the 2025 seasons while also improving the roster’s depth. One position group that Skol Nation might be most excited about is the improved offensive line.
Vikings’ 2024 Rookie Just Made a Depth Chart Jump
Will Fries and Ryan Kelly, two former Colts interior blockers, are supposed to strengthen the pass protection and elevate the run blocking to new heights.
That led to the exit of two past starters. Garrett Bradbury was released on Monday, as the Vikings couldn’t find a trade partner for the six-year starter. Guard Ed Ingram, meanwhile, was sent to Houston for a sixth-round pick that curiously has since turned into running back Jordan Mason (in addition to a pick swap).
With those two guys out of the picture, the depth players have increased chances to clinch roster spots and perhaps even key reserve roles. One of them is last year’s rookie center Michael Jurgens.
Drafted in the seventh round out of Wake Forest, Jurgens appeared in three games in his debut season, logging 12 snaps on special teams but none on offense.
With Bradbury gone, Jurgens is now the backup center, and his guard flexibility also allows him to be a backup there. The five interior linemen include, next to starters Fries, Kelly, and Blake Brandel, only Henry Byrd and Jurgens.
In last year’s preseason, Jurgens exclusively played left guard. It’s hard to say, though, whether the Vikings just wanted him to get acclimated to that spot to increase his overall flexibility and the line’s in general or if they actually view him as a guard rather than a center.
He showed promise as a run blocker, but his pass protection was a little shaky. Regardless, how much stock should we really put into a rookie’s three preseason contests?
His college numbers were impressive. Jurgens started three campaigns in college, two at center and one (in 2023) at left guard. In his final year in 2023, he led all guards in the FBS in PFF’s run block grade and only allowed seven QB pressures and 1 QB hit, resulting in an excellent 99% pass-block efficiency.
It wouldn’t be too unusual for a late-round rookie on the offensive line to hang around on the roster in his first year, become a serious backup in years two or three, and get a bridge starting role. In recent Vikings history, Brandel or Oli Udoh are a couple of guys who have taken that career path.
Of course, the Vikings could go ahead and add another veteran lineman like last year when Dan Feeney was hired, or they could add one via the draft. However, there’s a chance that the 25-year-old will be the interior backup for the upcoming season.
Losing Bradbury and Ingram ahead of him surely didn’t hurt his prospects. Jurgens will be an intriguing player come preseason to see whether his rookie struggles are a thing of the past.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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