It is the dawn of a new era.
Over the next few weeks, I will be looking into the different areas of the team and assessing how they could help new starter J.J. McCarthy acclimatise to the NFL.
In part one, we looked at Kevin O’Connell. Part two focuses on the offensive line. It has been a source of frustration for several years that the Vikings have never fully addressed the line. A series of stopgap signings and mid- to late-round draft picks have barely papered over the cracks.
A need for improvement
Sam Darnold was sacked 48 times during the 2024 season. In the playoff match up with the LA Rams, he helped set an unwanted record, taking nine sacks, which is the highest for a playoff game.
Darnold has to take responsibility for some of this. As the game wore on, he regressed into some very bad habits. There were multiple occasions where he held on to the ball too long.
Unfortunately, a lot of the blame also fell on the offensive line. In particular, the interior where Blake Brandel, Garrett Bradbury and Dalton Risner could not handle the Rams defensive linemen.
Bradbury was subsequently released and Risner has not been offered a new contract. Brandel started the season reasonably well at the left guard spot. Unfortunately, he suffered a dramatic loss of form when left tackle Christian Darrisaw went down with an injury.
Cam Robinson did a serviceable job replacing Darrisaw halfway through the season, but the drop-off from Brandel has forced the Vikings’ hand in terms of looking for upgrades.
At both tackle spots, the Vikings are blessed with talent. Darrisaw should be back in action by Week 1 and hopefully showcase the elite level of play we have come to expect. At right tackle, team captain Brian O’Neill is a two-time Pro Bowler. Together, they form one of the strongest tackle tandems in the league.
Aggressive approach
When the free agency period started, it was expected the Vikings would target one of higher profile interior linemen. It was something of a surprise when center Ryan Kelly was the first name announced.
The 32-year-old former first round pick signing a two-year deal after leaving the Indianapolis Colts. Not long after this came the news that the Vikings were raiding the Colts again.
This time, they handed Will Fries a very lucrative five-year, $88 million dollar contract. At 27, Fries is the perfect fit for a Vikings offence that wants to go all in on rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Having improved the line with these moves and, with the hope that Brandel would return to top form when paired with the returning Darrisaw, the Vikings could have left things there.
With a limited number of draft picks, the expectation was that the Vikings would look for a trade partner in the first round. Drop back a few spots and pick up several day two or three picks. Instead, they went all-in on the offensive line, drafting Donovan Jackson to compete for the left guard spot.
The Giants ended up trading for the 25th pick, giving up picks 34, 99 and a 2026 3rd round selection. You must imagine the Vikings were offered the same deal and refused, highlighting how much they needed Jackson.
A new offensive line of Darrisaw, Jackson, Kelly, Fries and O’Neill should be one of the strongest in the league. McCarthy should be a lot better protected than any of his predecessors.
