The Vikings’ O-Line Thins After a Young Fella Gets Axed
The Vikings’ o-line isn’t in dire straits, though there is a major question mark at center. As a result, the decision to move on from a depth center hits as a touch surprising.
Undrafted sophomore Zeke Correll was facing an uphill battle to get onto the final roster, but he had a chance so long as he was earning his pay with the Vikings. Per the NFL’s waiver updates, Correll has been shown the door, thinning out the most uncertain spot among Minnesota’s large lads. Correll will need to look elsewhere for a chance at getting onto a 53-man roster.
The Vikings’ O-Line Now a Little Lighter
An ideal world would have involved seeing Ryan Kelly still locking down the top spot.
The former Colt and Viking recently opted to retire, seemingly in response to the three concussions he suffered in 2025. His game is still excellent. Kelly communicates well and has soaked up a ton of wisdom, allowing him to adjust protections at the line of scrimmage. Even better, he’s a rugged blocker who isn’t easily moved. Health, not ability, is the issue.
Playing a game tomorrow would mean needing to turn to one of Michael Jurgens or Blake Brandel.
Jurgens is moving into his third season. A 7th-Round selection in 2024, Jurgens got added to shore up the depth, not to be the long-term starter. Or, at least, those were the initial expectations. Seeing him overcome the odds by becoming a strong C1 would be a nice development, but he has a long way to go.
Meanwhile, Brandel offers appeal as a high-compete veteran who has a pile of experience and wisdom. Note that he has been working alongside head coach Kevin O’Connell since 2022, so there won’t be too much (if any at all) who understand the offense better than the veteran. He’s not a natural center but maybe a full offseason chipping away at the finer details of the assignment could result in playing solid ball.
Zeke Correll was quietly lingering in the background, a college center who was looking to secure long-term employment in the pros, if only as a depth option.
On Vikings Territory, Janik Eckardt digs into the early adversity in Zeke Correll’s shot as a Viking: “In the first preseason game, Correll received his first opportunity to shine, but it turned out to be his last one, too. The blocker suffered a fractured ankle and was quickly ruled out for the season, as he was placed on IR. He lasted 12 snaps.”
A final thought from Eckardt: “Now hopefully recovered, he hopes to earn a spot on someone’s 90-man roster to compete for his place in the league throughout the summer. Correll is 25.”
The Vikings’ o-line boasts some high-end talent.
Along the left side, LT1 Christian Darrisaw and LG1 Donovan Jackson are 1st-Round selections who are homegrown talents. Each have demonstrated ample promise while showing that there’s still room for further growth.
Meanwhile, the right side has late-round RG1 Will Fries (now a veteran in his prime) alongside RT1 Brian O’Neill, a 2nd-Round selection from the Vikings’ 2018 draft (the same cluster of talent when Tyler Conklin got drafted). Those two similarly offer high upside.
Where there’s ongoing uncertainty is at center. The Vikings’ o-line will likely have an easier life with Kyler Murray calling the shots. He has been in the NFL since 2019, better equipping him to make adjustments in his pre-snap read of the defense.
Employing a seasoned vet isn’t quite so crucial given that Murray has made 87 starts in his career.
As things stand, the Vikings are sitting on roughly $8-$9 million in cap space. Extending O’Neill appears very likely, an option that could shove another $14 million back into the mix. So, too, could there be a trade or two to liberate more cap space.
The Vikings’ o-line should have the financial resources necessary to add competition (though at the risk of losing a compensatory pick). At the very least, the 2026 NFL Draft will likely kick over some center competition.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
