Vikings Large Lad Gets Put on Notice
A Vikings large lad arrived with optimism. As a sophomore, Walter Rouse has had more chances to play, but he’s still an add-on rather than an integral part of the plan.
Last week, Mr. Rouse wasn’t a complete non-factor insofar as he wasn’t inactive yet again. After all, Minnesota didn’t have LT1 Christian Darrisaw and nor did they have LG1 Donovan Jackson (even worse is that the depth took another hit when C1 Ryan Kelly stepped out of the game). Even with the turmoil, though, Rouse didn’t get onto the field, even in a special teams capacity.
Vikings Large Lad Walter Rouse Fading into Background
Consider how the depth chart looks along the offensive line:
| Left Tackle | Left Guard | Center | Right Guard | Right Tackle |
| Christian Darrisaw | Donovan Jackson | Ryan Kelly | Will Fries | Brian O’Neill |
| Justin Skule | Blake Brandel | Michael Jurgens | Joe Huber | Walter Rouse |
Consider the same chart. The only difference rests in denoting the offensive linemen who have missed at least a single game due to injury. The names are included in red:
| Left Tackle | Left Guard | Center | Right Guard | Right Tackle |
| Christian Darrisaw | Donovan Jackson | Ryan Kelly | Will Fries | Brian O’Neill |
| Justin Skule | Blake Brandel | Michael Jurgens | Joe Huber | Walter Rouse |
So, not a perfect report card as it relates to o-line health. Even with that being true, consider Walter Rouse’s opportunities on the field:
- Week 1: 3 Special Teams Snaps
- Week 2: 12 Offensive Snaps, 2 Special Teams Snaps
- Week 3: 12 Offensive Snaps, 8 Special Teams Snaps
- Week 5: 24 Offensive Snaps, 4 Special Teams Snaps
- Week 7: 6 Special Teams Snaps
- Week 8: 40 Offensive Snaps, 4 Special Teams Snaps
Since then, no opportunities for Mr. Rouse. The sophomore offensive tackle has received praise following the draft. He then earned some hype in the offseason, apparently getting some opportunity to practice at guard to see if his large frame could lead to opportunity along the inside. So far, though, the playing time has been modest before falling off a cliff.
Note, folks, that Minnesota could realistically be moving toward a future where O’Neill adjusts his deal or gets shown the door. Could Rouse jump into an opening at right tackle?
Rouse is still just 24. He possesses a great build for the position as someone who stands at 6’6″ and who weighs 330 pounds. Per the numbers, Rouse has been guilty of allowing a single sack alongside 6 quarterback pressures. He has committed a penalty, too.
But while the o-line has been depleted by injury and the protection overall hasn’t been good enough, Walter Rouse hasn’t been a consistent feature of the lineup. Worse yet, Rouse has been almost entirely phased out since the Vikings got demolished by the Chargers.
The NFL is a workplace where actions speak louder than words, so seeing the young lineman minimized is a poor development for his long-term outlook. The final five games of the season could (should?) feature turning toward youth, so perhaps there will be a shift toward the backup tackle.
Once again, the Vikings’ offensive line is in rough shape. We’ll see if that leads to some opportunity for the Vikings large lad who got scooped up in the 6th Round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Vikings and Commanders will play on Sunday, December 7th. Kickoff arrives at 12:00 p.m. CT. Losing would mean sitting on a 4-9 record and likely being among the NFL’s bottom ten teams.
