OG or RB: Which Is Best for the Vikings?
The Minnesota Vikings have multiple holes they need to fill this offseason. A pair of the more prominent ones include the guard position and a new running back. Both spots require the franchise to nail the decision, but which one matters most?
OG or RB: Which Is Best for the Vikings?
Last season, the Vikings watched Sam Darnold put up the best season of his career. That was, in large part, due to the infrastructure around him. He had a substantially upgraded cast of weapons and a coaching staff that placed him in favorable situations.
If there was something that Darnold could have benefited a bit more from, it would have been better play from his interior offensive line. Ed Ingram has all but proven to be a bust and was swapped out for Dalton Risner. Blake Brandel was talked up as a starter on the left side but quickly fell off after a promising start.
Although the offensive line didn’t break down substantially in the passing game, they did little to support the running game. Aaron Jones ran for a career-best yardage total, but he was often stuffed when the opposition was backed up in the red zone or knew the ground game was coming.
The running back position must be addressed by the Vikings as well. They could run it back, pun intended, with Jones, a free agent. He’s probably the top option in free agency. The depth through the draft is also notable and sets the class up to be among the best in recent history.
What the Vikings do, and in what order, should be intriguing. Kevin O’Connell has never truly had a standout running back with Minnesota. He won’t become a coach that leans heavily on the running game either. If he has more capable guard play, though, he may be able to get by with a lesser runner.
On the flip side, the Vikings could opt for a bigger swing through the draft and hope that a quality young runner can work with whatever the guards do in front of them. The most realistic marriage of situations is one where both positions are addressed with quality options and things work out because of one another.
No matter what, the Vikings must be better at running the ball in 2025. That will be a reflection of their ball carrier, but also of the holes opened for them up front.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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