The Vikings O-Line Still Has a Major Question to Answer
The Vikings o-line isn’t in a bad spot. Far from it, in fact.
The presence of LT1 Christian Darrisaw and RT1 Brian O’Neill means Minnesota boasts a terrific tackle tandem. When healthy, those two are capable of nullifying the other team’s foremost pass rushers. Kicking inside a bit further means seeing LG1 Donovan Jackson and RG1 Will Fries. Neither were dominant last year, but each had solid seasons. Seeing them rise to somewhere around very good or elite is what’s needed.
What about the center position? Some more uncertainty at that spot.
Playing a game tonight would mean leaning on Blake Brandel to start. Doing so has plenty of merit; Brandel has great size and a very good understanding of the scheme. Do note, though, that he was a college tackle who got chosen in the 6th back in 2020. Since then, he has been mostly a tackle and guard, shuffling to center out of necessity. Can he become an average or even an above-average starter?
The Vikings O-Line & The Center Competition
The Vikings did address the offensive line in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The front office sunk a 3rd into OT Caleb Tiernan. There was then a move for Gavin Gerhardt in the 7th, who plays center. Very likely, folks, that Tiernan gets onto the final roster (99%). Gerhardt is more of a flip of the coin, someone who is going to need to overcome reasonably beefy competition to make the final roster. Getting chosen at that spot means he’s somewhere around 50% for odds to make the final roster.
Consider how things look as of late April:
- C1 — Blake Brandel
- C2 — Michael Jurgens
- C3 — Gavin Gerhardt
- C4 — Mystery Option
To begin, the mystery. The possibility exists that one of those depth guards — Joe Huber, Vershon Lee, Henry Byrd, and so on — gets a look at center. Clearly, they’re doing something right since they’ve been kept around. Does necessity involve giving them a look at center? Minnesota hasn’t been too shy about playing musical chairs with the big boys, so expect at least some reps for these interior guys.
Another angle for the mystery option involves filling the job by a veteran free agent. Someone such as Ethan Pocic makes sense insofar as he’s an accomplished veteran who would stabilize the floor. The current focus involves seeing if some of that open cap space leads to signing WR Jauan Jennings, but there’s enough financial freedom to figure out a modest deal for a veteran center.
The likeliest option, though, remains that one of the in-house players is going to get the job done.
Brandel isn’t without merit, but seeing him succeed at center creates an issue. Who jumps into his five-in-one backup offensive lineman job? Not too many players are so capable of being so versatile.
Maybe someone shakes loose once other teams sort through their options. For instance, Garrett Bradbury appears to be in an awkward spot with the Chicago decision to draft Logan Jones. Could the athletic former center come back to the Twin Cities?
Right now, the Vikings o-line remains a work in progress. That’s no reason to panic as OTAs and mini camp await, but it is reason for the franchise to keeps its eyes peeled for an upgrade.
