All of the Sudden, There’s a Vikings Trade Candidate
The Minnesota Vikings have completed the first round of the draft and bolstered the offensive line by adding Ohio State’s blocker, Donovan Jackson. He was the 24th overall selection and should enter the starting lineup sooner rather than later, which will drop one guy from that lineup to the sidelines.
All of the Sudden, There’s a Vikings Trade Candidate
Blake Brandel, the starter at left guard in the 2024 campaign, seems to be a one-and-done.
The Vikings had previously already moved on from right guard rotation Dalton Risner and Ed Ingram, as well as center Garrett Bradbury.
Brandel entered the draft as the lone remaining player from the interior line, but his future is now in jeopardy. Perhaps another team could be interested? It’s hard to predict trade markets, but Ingram generated a sixth-round pick from the Texans, so why shouldn’t the more reliable player have a market?
Brandel arrived in the NFL in 2020 as a sixth-round pick. After a year on the practice squad, he was signed to the 53-man roster halfway through the 2021 season, and the Mike Zimmer Vikings used him as their sixth offensive lineman in heavy packages.
In 2022, he was the backup left tackle and replaced Christian Darrisaw a few times that year. One year later, in the 2023 offseason, the Vikings moved him to guard, using him as a backup there. Last year, he was handed the starting job after signing a brand-new $9.5 million deal for three years.
His play was solid early on, but declined when star left tackle Christian Darrisaw was lost for the season due to a severe knee injury. PFF gave him a grade of 55.7 throughout the season, ranking him 62nd of 77 eligible offensive guards.
PurplePTSD’s Kyle Joudry noted Thursday night, “Fast forward into 2024 and Mr. Brandel was the main man at left guard. He did adequately but fell short of dominant. Solid, passable, and tough. Not vintage Quenton Nelson.”
He’s not a high-end player by any means, but he brings tackle and guard flexibility to the table and has starting experience. Are the Vikings willing to move on from him or enjoy the depth? That remains to be seen.
Brandel is 28 years old, has played in 56 Vikings games, and started 22 of them.
New-Looking Line
The Vikings acquired former Colts protectors Will Fries and Ryan Kelly. They both signed lucrative contracts. Kelly is viewed as a short-term solution at center, considering he is nearing his 32nd birthday and has struggled with injuries in the past. Fries should be a long-term fix at right guard. He signed a five-year deal.
On the outside, Minnesota employs Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, two of the better tackles in the league, forming an elite tackle duo.
Jackson completes the interior overhaul once he’s ready to enter the starting lineup. As usual, he has to compete with others first. That’s how teams deal with rookies early on. The Ohio State alumnus is viewed as a pro-ready player with plenty of experience at the spot against premier competition in the Big 10 and the playoffs, and therefore, shouldn’t take too long to be The Guy at LG.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.