Even when the Minnesota Vikings lost Christian Darrisaw to a season-ending ACL tear in late October, hope remained for a promising season.
Kevin O’Connell Hints at the Fix to Vikings Roster
The purple team didn’t disappoint, rattling off nine wins after Darrisaw’s exit. But when the rubber hit the roads in two games determining a path to the Divisional Round of the postseason, the Vikings’ offensive lien crumbled, especially in the interior — the two guards and center spots.
Thankfully head coach Kevin O’Connell recognized the problem, and repair may be coming.
What O’Connell Said
The Los Angeles Rams set an NFL playoff record for sacks, knocking Sam Darnold flat 9 times. Yes, 9. The Rams defeated the Vikings 27-9, ending a 14-3 win season for Minnesota.
Recognizing offensive line porousness teetered on Captain Obvious, but O’Connell was sure to call out the trenches. “There’s no question that we got to be able to find a way to give a quarterback time. Especially with players like Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, we got to find a way to solidify the interior of the pocket, starting first and foremost,” O’Connell told reporters after the loss.
Interior offensive line woes have been a frequent scourge of Vikings football for over a decade.
O’Connell added, “There can be a thousand excuses made. But, for me, it’s the foundation of the interior of the pocket that we’re going to have to take a long look at.”
As the saying goes, the first step is identifying the problem.
The Numbers
Minnesota’s offensive line, believe it or not, did perform poorly on the whole in 2024. The group used OT performance from the aforementioned Darrisaw, Brian O’Neill, and Cam Robinson to prop up overall efficiency.
But the pass protection in the guts of the line floundered.
Offensive Line Pass Protection,
PFF Grades,
2024:
Ed Ingram (OG) — 49.1
Garrett Bradbury (C) — 50.5
Blake Brandel (LG) — 62.1
Dalton Risner (RG) — 76.1
This may mean Minnesota needs a new center, left guard, and perhaps Risner back if the price is right.
The takeaway? There’s no fixing the current interior with current players. All new personnel should be on the menu.
How to Fix It
The time is apropos for a solution: free agency is two months away, and the NFL draft kicks off in late April.
The Vikings have about $70 million in cap space, with dead money from Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter’s contract falling off the books. These are possible free-agent fixes:
- Drew Dalman (C, Falcons)
- Will Fries (G, Colts)
- Ryan Kelly (C, Colts)
- Teven Jenkins (G, Bears)
- Trey Smith (OG, Chiefs)
- Kevin Zeitler (G, Lions)
And from the draft, if Minnesota uses its 24th overall pick on the offensive trenches:
- Tyler Booker (Alabama)
- Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona)
- Donovan Jackson (Ohio State)
- Armand Membou (Missouri)
It’s worth noting that Savaiinaea, Jackson, and Membou could be available in Round 2 if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah chooses to trade down.
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.