PFF Releases Vikings Midseason Offensive Line Ranking
Dustin Baker
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Because the Minnesota Vikings drafted Christian Darrisaw and Wyatt Davis in the 2021 NFL Draft, there was a chance that Year Eight of the Mike Zimmer regime was the season everything finally clicked for the offensive line.
That was incorrect.
In spots, the Vikings offensive line has appeared serviceable – particularly early in the season – but games against the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, and Baltimore Ravens proved otherwise. Those games proliferated same ‘ol, same ‘ol vibes.
Most of the bane for Minnesota’s longstanding offensive line problem is the pass protection. Down the line, the fivesome is typically successful with run blocking, and it doesn’t hurt to have Dalvin Cook slicing and dicing on Sundays to make the trenches look good.
Darrisaw has impressed, showcasing a modest 65.3 rookie grade from Pro Football Focus. He’s only allowed four pressures on quarterback Kirk Cousins through 135 passing attempts. Not bad.
Of course, Brian O’Neill is sturdy, anchoring the right side of the line in traditional O’Neillian fashion. It’s the rest of the line that is questionable. Between Oli Udoh (60.5 PFF score), Garrett Bradbury (56.2 PFF score ), Ezra Cleveland (58.8 PFF score), the group is a huge meh. Thankfully, someone like Dakota Dozier or Dru Samia isn’t dragging down the bunch with PFF grades below 45.0 – like last year – but the middle of the Vikings offensive line can stand to be a lot better.
And PFF agrees with that statement on the Vikings lackluster offensive line production. Sam Monson from PFF released offensive line rankings heading into Week 10 – and the Vikings ranked 24th. Right on the cusp of the bottom quarter of the NFL. Monson wrote:
“Christian Darrisaw looks like he will be a major upgrade for the Vikings at left tackle, but they got a look at another potential personnel change this past week when Mason Cole started at center and earned a 74.6 PFF game-grade against Baltimore. Garrett Bradbury has only four games in his NFL career that can match that number, and none of them have come since Week 10 of 2020. Minnesota has a former first-round pick invested in Bradbury, but at some point, that is nothing but a sunk cost. Meanwhile, Brian O’Neill has allowed just eight pressures in eight games as the team’s best lineman.”
Below the Vikings in the rankings? Lions, Raiders, Texans, Steelers, Panthers, Falcons, Giants, and Dolphins. Unsurprisingly, that list is deficient of playoff teams. Offensive line prowess and postseason football go hand in hand. Whoodathunkit.
On the playoffs, the Vikings best shot to change the course of this 2021 season is to – – you guessed it – hope the pass protection improves. Most games lost by the Vikings occur when Cousins is under duress. Cousins is not very good when under siege. It’s one of the weaknesses that separates him from the elite tier of quarterbacking.
Anything is possible, but if Zimmer and friends haven’t solved the pass-protection aspect of the offensive line in 7.5 seasons, they’re probably not going to miraculously start now. Which means – the Vikings are likely to finish in the ballpark of a mediocre win-loss record, and the team’s general management will be searching for a new skipper.
At least Darrisaw and O’Neill are buildable blocks for the future, though.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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