OL Alternative Emerges for Vikings Free Agency
Expected free-agent-to-be Trey Smith, an offensive guard, was franchise-tagged by the Kansas City Chiefs last week, to which a collective body of Minnesota Vikings fans muttered, “Damnit.”
OL Alternative Emerges for Vikings Free Agency
Fans’ attention then turned to Indianapolis Colts OG Will Fries, currently the top commodity at his position on the market. The only problem? All the teams that coveted Smith will now pursue Fries, reducing Minnesota’s chances of signing the lineman.
So, how about Patrick Mekari of the Baltimore Ravens? That’s the latest and greatest theory this week from The Athletic.
Alec Lewis wrote Monday, “Fries signing elsewhere would complicate matters. Someone like the Baltimore Ravens’ Patrick Mekari might then be in play, but this type of circumstance — like the situation with Byron Murphy — underscores how integral it is for front offices to give themselves plenty of paths during this period.”
As it stands, the Vikings have two guards lined up and under contract for 2025: Blake Brandel and Ed Ingram.
Lewis added about the recent OL performance, “The Vikings interior has struggled mightily against stunts and other movement since O’Connell arrived in 2022. Moving defenders on run plays in the red zone has been another consistent issue. Position a player like Fries alongside left tackle Christian Darrisaw or right tackle Brian O’Neill, and the Vikings would be giving themselves a better chance.”
Mekari should sign a deal between $8 and $12 million per season next week, also known as half the asking price of Smith’s would-be value.
Here’s Mekari’s Pro Football Focus resume to date:
- 2024: 59.0
- 2023: 71.0
- 2022: 73.1
- 2021: 66.1
- 2020: 62.3
- 2019: 70.0
The Ravens scooped Mekari from undrafted free agency six years ago, and he’s been attached to Baltimore’s roster since. He’s played in 88 games since the start of 2019, starting 53. Mekari is similar to Vikings guard Dalton Risner in that he specializes in pass protection over run blocking.
After Minnesota surrendered an NFL playoff record 9 sacks to the Los Angeles Rams in the 2024 postseason, head coach Kevin O’Connell called for IOL reform. “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 in January.
“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.”
If interested, the Vikings can begin a free-agent conversation with Mekari and others in six days.
Mekari will turn 28 in August.
Vikings QB Plan Has a Surprising Twist
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 MIN 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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