Ex-Viking Is Headed to Arizona
The hottest phase of free agency is in the books, but teams continue to fill out their rosters and add players that could contribute in the upcoming 2026 campaign. The Vikings just added tackle Ryan Van Demark to improve the offensive line depth.
Arizona did the same thing, signing former Vikings pick and starter Oli Udoh.
The Cardinals announced on their website, “The Cardinals still may use the No. 3 pick overall on an offensive lineman, but they continue to add depth to the roster for the unit and give themselves leeway for their first pick in April’s draft. On Friday, that came in the form of a one-year contract with veteran Olisaemeka ‘Oli’ Udoh.”
Arizona is paying Kyler Murray over $35 million to play for the Vikings and the roster had holes before that. Entering the season (or at least the draft) with the uninspiring duo of Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew at quarterback invites accusations of tanking.
Udoh, a Vikings draft pick in 2019, is coming off a season with the Titans in which he appeared in all 17 games as a backup tackle. He logged three starts in his first campaign with the franchise.
The veteran isn’t the first addition along the offensive line and the draft could lead to another blocker joining the group.
Darren Urban of Cardinals.com added, “The Cardinals are expected to draft a tackle at some point, and there remains the possibility that would come at No. 3; Miami’s Francis Mauigoa is mocked most often as the probable pick if that were to happen. Udoh is the fourth free agent added to the offensive line in the first two weeks of free agency. The Cardinals signed Isaac Seumalo, who will start at left guard, vet Matt Pryor, and they also signed Elijah Wilkinson, who could be an option at right tackle depending on the draft.”
It’s unlikely that Udoh is more than depth, but he has made a career out of providing an alternative as an injury replacement at offensive tackle.
At 6’6″ and 323 lbs, Udoh had the size and the movement skills to be an intriguing tackle prospect, which is why Rick Spielman took a shot when he drafted the Elon project. In his rookie year, Udoh made the 53-man roster and avoided any practice squad stints. His only rookie appearance came against all-world defender Khalil Mack and he looked surprisingly good against him.
After another season of depth duties, Udoh’s breakthrough came in 2021 when Mike Zimmer’s squad deployed him as a starting guard, with inconsistent results, especially in the penalty category. Kevin O’Connell quickly moved him back to tackle, where he has a decent down the stretch following an injury to Brian O’Neill. In 2023, he replaced Christian Darrisaw in one game, but a significant quad injury ended his season prematurely.
Udoh was not retained in the 2024 offseason and signed with the Saints, where he appeared in 14 games with one start.
Over the course of his career, Udoh has played in 74 games with 22 starts. He turned 29 last month and has carved out a nice career for a sixth-round pick.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.