Dec 8, 2019; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh jogs on the field prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings are nearing the one-month anniversary of releasing left tackle Riley Reiff. The 32-year-old was a cap casualty this offseason as the Vikings sought to wiggle underneath the slimmed-down 2021 salary cap. General Manager Rick Spielman was successful in this endeavor as the Vikings welcomed six new defensive players to the new team: Stephen Weatherly (DE), Dalvin Tomlinson (3DT), Nick Vigil (LB), Patrick Peterson (CB), Mackensie Alexander (CB), and Xavier Woods (FS).
But the team still has not replaced Reiff — unless 2020 rookie Ezra Cleveland or Rashod Hill is the solution for 2021. This is odd because left tackle is an expressly important position on the field. The Vikings may have an anonymous plan for left tackle that involves the 2021 NFL Draft or free agency. Otherwise, some combination of Cleveland and Hill could be the verdict.
A semi-credible social media entity, NFL Rumors, maintains that Spielman is still interested in Baltimore Ravens left tackle Orlando Brown.
Last year, the Vikings were embroiled in left tackle rumors, too. Trent Williams was the target, and he wound up joining the San Francisco 49ers. The aforementioned Reiff probably would have been jettisoned from the roster to accommodate Williams-to-Minnesota. Whether Williams was “worth it” is interpretive. He posted a blistering 91.9 Pro Football Focus grade in San Francisco during the pandemic season — and was handsomely rewarded thereafter. Two weeks ago, 49ers general manager John Lynch made Williams the highest-paid offensive lineman ever, sending $138 million in his direction over the next six seasons.
This season’s left-tackle sweepstakes won’t quite approach that sum. While Brown is a wonderful football player, he has nowhere near the name recognition and clout — yet — afforded to the 32-year-old Williams. But he may disagree.
It is unclear what the Vikings would surrender to acquire Brown. But if general manager Rick Spielman figures that part out, Minnesota will employ a huge dude at left tackle.
Brown is 6’8”, 345 lbs. He is almost Bryant McKinnie’s size, and that particular University of Miami (FL) personality anchored the Vikings offensive line for a decade. Ezra Cleveland is 6’6”, 311lbs. To put it bluntly, Brown is a much bigger man than Cleveland.
At that size, Brown is a true-blue offensive tackle – a throwback to how the Vikings “used to do it” before becoming enamored with the zone-blocking scheme.
Brown registered a 76.5 PFF grade in 2020.
A rebuke to the trade-for-Brown chatter is rooted in “fit.” Indeed, he is not a zone-blocking savant in terms of x’s and o’s. The Vikings enjoy utilizing nimble big men to pass-protect and run-block, although it has not been overly effective as of late. Minnesota notoriously takes trips to cellar for dwelling activities on pass-protecting acumen. Brown undoubtedly keeps quarterbacks upright, yet he does not fit the “power forward” classification that Minnesota recently exalts for offensive trenchmen.
Can offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak finagle a solution to host Brown with the other zone-blocking personalities? Probably. It merely has not been a point of emphasis over the last few years.
Vikings enthusiasts much ask themselves: Would the pass protection really suffer by adding a Pro Bowl left tackle? If the answer is yes, the best remedy may be deviating from the zone-blocking system over time because it has not netted illustrious results – at all – during Zimmer’s tenure as head coach.
Look – Brown will be 25 years old in May. He is a better football player than Riley Reiff. He is a younger man than Reiff by seven years. Brown’s Pro Football Focus grade is virtually identical to Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill.
Brown entered the NFL in 2018 and has reached the Pro Bowl twice in three seasons. Not bad for a tackle currently under the age of 25.
The irresistible aspect of Brown’s resume is that he is a magnificent pass-blocker. The Vikings don’t have many of those – if any – outside of Brian O’Neill. If Kubiak and Zimmer can determine how to coagulate Brown’s size with a zone-blocking scheme, then this trade idea is a no-brainer for exploration.
Minnesota’s pass protection has not been very good for a decade. A swap of assets for Brown is a step in the direction of ending the longstanding madness.
The hold-up for any Brown trade talks — to the Vikings or elsewhere — is not rumored to be over trade compensation. Contrarily, it is Brown’s price tag after landing on the next hypothetical team. He wants to be paid as a left tackle — the bulk of the reasoning for wanting out of Baltimore. The Ravens use All-Pro Ronnie Stanley at left tackle and Brown on the other side of the line. Brown wants to play left tackle and earn the cash for doing so.
So, Spielman could likely figure out the draft capital to send over to Baltimore, but do the Vikings have gobs of assets to pay Brown a Trent Williams-like contract? Not at the moment — unless the deal is heavily backloaded.
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We want Adam Thielen. Love, Ravens.
no Thanks We can get someone with our first pick.
How about we give you Adam Thielen in 5yrs and cash considerations....
Edge rushers are going to hurt someone if you don’t make a considerable investment in the LT position. Poor Cousins needed a ‘safe word’ this season ?
You could get lucky; or you could get a lemon. Under 25 Pro Bowl left tackles without durability issues don’t grow on trees.
From the link provided:
"Brown is looking to top the mammoth contract signed by Trent Williams’, 6-year, $138M deal that includes $55.1M in guarantees. In other words, Orlando will be the Ravens right tackle in 2021."
So he's looking for an average of $23 million a year. After one Pro Bowl-qualifying year at left tackle (following his one PB appearance at RT), he wants to get paid more than the 8x Pro Bowler Williams, 3x Pro Bowler and 2x 1st team All-Pro David Bakhtiari, 2x Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil, and more than $3 million more per year than his teammate, 1x PB & 1x All-Pro Ronnie Stanley, the highest paid left tackles in the game today. I can understand teams being reluctant to drop that much money on a guy with only one year at LT under his belt. I was expecting him to get a deal paying him $19 million per year, three-quarters of a million less than Stanley signed up for last October 30th, and the deal might be doable for the Vikes at $20 mil/year, especially if it is structured to not breach the $10 million barrier until 2023, like O'Neill's extension will probably do (based on the deals made with Kendricks and Cooks, our last two Day 2 draftees to get extensions). But $23 million a year gets into stratospheric territory for a guy about whom there are still some questions at the position.
I was kind of looking forward to this trade before this news. Now, I'm closer to hoping that either Sewell or Slater falls to us at #14.
"...the zone-blocking system...because it has not netted illustrious results – at all – during Zimmer’s tenure as head coach."
Sometimes I forget you're just another one of us fans, Dustin, and then you drop an idiotic remark like this. We've been running some version of the zone blocking system - first inside and then, with Gary Kubiak's hiring, outside - since 2017, and in that time have finished 7th, 30th (JDF's pass happy year), 6th and 5th in rushing yards, helped Kirk Cousins have the two best years of his career, made the playoffs twice and won a playoff game twice. But you, apparently, want to blame the outside zone blocking scheme we use for the failings of our pass protection, our coaches (JDF for his play-calling, Rick Dennison for his tutelage, maybe Zimmer for his game management), our front office for failing to find the bodies to finish the rebuilding of our OL, and our defense (for 2020).
Throwing the zone blocking scheme under the bus like this especially alibis Rick Dennison and his staff, who have singularly failed to coach up our OL specifically in pass protection, as Joe Johnson and his OL experts have convincingly made the case on this site. More to the point when it comes to Bown, is that LT is the one position whose unique responsibilities justify being not so strict in demanding scheme fit to the zone blocking system.
Oh, and Brian O'Neill is not "a magnificent pass-blocker." At least, not judging by the times I saw him flub stunts on pass plays during this past season, just like most of his linemates do.
Browns deal won't hit our books till next year, he's on rookie deal. vibeoukd give up a 3 and 4 know or a 2 next year or swap firsts and a 4th not a 1st round pick. If you look at trent williams deal it's a 3 year deal and they can get out
Spielman needs to make this deal, and draft a offensive lineman round 1. He needs to swap 1st or go into next years picks because this is the trade of a decade. Browns old man was HOF worthy, he was the Trent Williams of the 90s, highest Paid LT ever. If you can get the guy for a 3 and 1st round swap, you do it. Otherwise straight up for Theilen. Spielman better be on the trigger on this one, idc what Rick fin Dennison says.