The Vikings Have a Star Player Awaiting an Extension, Limiting Practice Reps
In RT Brian O’Neill, the Vikings have a star player who is looking for an extension. Does that lead to less on-field work?
Check out the update that arrived courtesy of ESPN’s Kevin Seifert: “The Vikings open mandatory minicamp today, and the word is that RT Brian O’Neill will be in uniform and participating in at least some of it. O’Neill has been an observer during OTAs while he waits on the Vikings to address his contract, which expires after this season.”
The Vikings Have a Star Player Who is Sort of Holding Out
In fairness, the O’Neill extension that has yet to materialize has been a slow-moving crisis. Everyone could see that 2026 was his final year, creating plenty of speculation about an extension.
O’Neill’s problems are multiple.
First and foremost, incoming GM Nolan Teasley is still getting his feet wet. Does the newcomer in the front office need more time to acclimate himself to life in Minnesota before unleashing a slobberknocker of a contract? The well-paid right tackle will want to continue being well-paid since his play hasn’t dropped off.
Further complicating the issue is the presence of Caleb Tiernan alongside Ryan Van Demark. In particular, the draftee boasts promise. He’s a towering 6’8″ and has noted his fondness for O’Neill’s game. Might he someday soon be the replacement for O’Neill?
Having Van Demark on the roster is about solidifying the OT3 position. He’s not being viewed as a starter in 2026, but could that change after the season ends? The Vikings got pretty frisky when signing him, stealing him away from Buffalo even though the OT was an RFA.
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Nobody has a higher cap charge in 2026 than Brian O’Neill, at least on the Vikings’ roster. His cap hit sits at $23,115,657, per Over the Cap. Extending him could free more than $14 million for the present day.
More broadly, the team is sitting atop close to $13.4 million in open room. At this point in the offseason, that’s a medium amount of money. Enough flexibility to take care of business but not enough to go on major spending sprees.
At minimum, the budget is going to get quite snug once the offseason’s top-51 cutoff lifts and all of the players need to be accounted for on the cap.
Considered as a whole, the offensive line needs to improve upon the effort from last year.
Much of the problem was injury. LT1 Christian Darrisaw got back to the field but for only part of the year. He never looked like himself. Donovan Jackson was a rugged presence at LG1, showing potential, toughness, and leadership as he worked through a wrist issue that required surgery. The C1 spot seldom had its C1 — the now retired Ryan Kelly — and Brian O’Neill missed time, as well. Only RG1 Will Fries was out there all year, but the caveat there is that he was limited last offseason due to a major injury the year prior.
Health is the starting point. So, too, does the performance need to elevate. The Vikings’ signalled a desire for the group to improve in the decision to move on from Chris Kuper in favor of a new position coach in Keith Carter.
There’s very little reason to believe that Mr. O’Neill won’t be around for 2026. A cut or trade would be lucrative for cap savings but detrimental to the team. As a result, the safest bet is that some sort of resolution is going to arrive before too long.
Brian O’Neill is 30. At this stage in his career, O’Neill likely only has one more shot at landing meaty money.
