Turns Out the Vikings Offensive Line Might Be Fantastic?
The Minnesota Vikings’ days of utter offensive futility have vanished with Kevin O’Connell at the helm.
Pro Football Focus released 2025 OL rankings, and the Vikings offensive line scored quite impressively. Have a look at the NFL pecking order and where Minnesota checked in.
The next step? Effectuating the measures to remain a Top 10 bunch, which feels well on its way as of the 2025 offseason.
And with the NFL’s regular season less than 70 days away, Pro Football Focus named the Vikings’ offensive line the seventh-best in the business this week.
All Love from PFF for the Vikings Offensive Line
No. 7 is the spot for Kevin O’Connell’s trenches.
It’s 7th Best for the Vikings OL
Sandwiched between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 6 and Atlanta Falcons at No. 8, Minnesota checked in at No. 7, a vast preseason improvement from years past, especially the Mike Zimmer era.
PFF’s Zoltán Buday explained, “Although Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill formed a top-notch tackle duo over the past couple of seasons, the Vikings’ interior held back the unit, and the offense overall. Minnesota will feature three new starters along the interior in 2025, looking to turn a weakness into a strength.”
“Center Ryan Kelly just turned 32 and is still among the best players at his position when healthy. Right guard Will Fries was on his way to a breakout season in 2024 before an injury ended his year after five games. Rookie Donovan Jackson, whom the Vikings drafted in the first round, completes the pack.”
The ranking was especially refreshing because Minnesota’s offensive line was walloped in the playoffs last year by the Los Angeles Rams, causing a sad one-and-done postseason showing after a 14-3 regular season.
Mass Improvement
So, why are folks so high on Minnesota’s trenches entering the 2025 campaign? Simple — general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah fundamentally rebuilt the unit.
He traded RG Ed Ingram to the Houston Texans, obtaining a 6th-Round draft pick that he would later trade to the San Francisco 49ers for running back Jordan Mason. In Ingram’s spot, Adofo-Mensah signed Will Fries from free agency, the top offensive guard on the open market.
The Vikings finally cut ties with center Garrett Bradbury — he wound up with the New England Patriots — and signed Fries’ free-agent buddy, Ryan Kelly, from the Indianapolis Colts.
And as a cherry on top, Adofo-Mensah used Round 1 to draft Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson, who will likely swipe Blake Brandel’s job this September.
Here’s the fivesome:
LT — Christian Darrisaw
LG — Donovan Jackson
C — Ryan Kelly
RG — Will Fries
RT — Brian O’Neill
A Dream Come True for Some
Minnesota endured bitter OL futility for several seasons in the 2010s and early 2020s. The team could not find guards for the life of them, frustrating fans along the way because it shouldn’t be groundbreaking to find competent OGs.
But then Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell came long to prioritize the trenches, and in short — here we are. Folks can pull up articles like PFF’s and marinate in a Top 10 standing for Minnesota’s offensive line.
It didn’t used to be this way.
Finishing Summer Touches on the OL
This summer, fans will monitor Christian Darrisaw’s injury recovery. He tore his ACL last October and may or may not be ready for the regular season opener. The aforementioned Jackson must formally win the LG job over Blake Brandel, too.
Then, Minnesota will need some backup linemen, with players like Brandel, Justin Skule, Joe Huber, Michael Jurgens, and Walter Rouse battling for roster spots.
PHI, DEN, BUF Lead the Way
The Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive trenches took home the top spot on the PFF list. Buday opined, “The Eagles boast the NFL’s best offensive tackle duo, featuring two players who rank at the top of their respective positions. Left tackle Jordan Mailata’s 95.2 PFF overall grade in 2024 led all offensive tackles, while right tackle Lane Johnson’s 88.9 mark placed fifth.”
“There is some uncertainty along Philadelphia’s interior following right guard Mekhi Becton’s departure, but Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens remain to make this the best offensive line in football entering the 2025 season.”
And on the Denver Broncos at No. 2: “All five of Denver’s starting offensive linemen in 2024, each of whom logged more than 800 snaps, return for 2025. The Broncos’ offensive line led the NFL with a 90.8 PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating last season, allowing only 110 pressures on 677 snaps.”
“Right guard Quinn Meinerz has emerged as one of the best players at the position, highlighted by his 87.3 PFF overall grade, which ranked second among guards in the league last season.”
The Bills checked in at No. 3, with the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts rounding out the Top 5.
Beloved Ex-Viking Wants Back In
You must be logged in to post a comment.