ESPN Names Vikings’ Top Roster Cut Candidate
The interior section of the Minnesota Vikings offensive line experienced turmoil in the final two games of 2024, so much so that head coach Kevin O’Connell called for improvement after the club’s one-and-done postseason loss against the Los Angeles Rams.
ESPN Names Vikings’ Top Roster Cut Candidate
And according to ESPN, a part of that plan might be releasing veteran center Garrett Bradbury.
This week, Bill Barnwell forecasted offseason roadmaps for all playoff teams eliminated from the tournament, and for Minnesota’s top roster cut candidate, Bradbury got the nod.
“The veterans the Vikings have under contract are generally locked in or playing well enough to alleviate any concerns about being released. The one exception might be Bradbury, who has settled in as a low-end starter at center,” Barnwell wrote Thursday.
With the offseason underway, Vikings fans have oft mentioned Bradbury as a cut candidate, so the theory isn’t revolutionary.
Barnwell added, “At the same time, his $5.3 million compensation for 2025 isn’t outlandish for a veteran in that range. If the Vikings want to upgrade, his unguaranteed contract could be vulnerable, but it’s more likely he’s back as the Week 1 starter.”
Vikings faithful have spitballed three roster cut ideas so far this offseason: Bradbury, guard Ed Ingram, and linebacker Brian Asamoah. If all were released, Minnesota would save about $10 million in 2025 to spend on existing in-house and new free agents.
Minnesota selected Bradbury in Round 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft. Most centers don’t fly off the board that early in a draft, but when they do, they’re expected to become All-Pro-caliber starters. That has not happened with Bradbury, who has one year left on his current contract.
Bradbury is a wonderful run blocker, a skill that has kept him attached to the Vikings’ depth chart with two coaching regimes. He struggles, however, with pass protection and often gets dominated by opposing defensive linemen like Dexter Lawrence (New York Giants) and Kenny Clark (Green Bay Packers).
If Minnesota follows the Barnwell prediction, it would likely find a replacement who can do it all.
One replacement could come via free agency: Drew Dalman. He is the best center scheduled to hit the open market, accounting for a 78.8 Pro Football Focus grade this season. And he’s not like Bradbury, who specializes in run blocking while struggling with pass protection. Dalman does both.
The Vikings may be hesitant to roll with a rookie center in 2025, especially if quarterback J.J. McCarthy takes the reins of QB1. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has just four draft picks in 2025, a rough outlook for a team that might need a center.
Bradbury will turn 30, and no one will be too shocked if Barnwell is right about the roster cut.
NFL free agency is less than six weeks away.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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