Vikings Unveil Starting Lineup Shakeup in Ireland
A major storyline for the Minnesota Vikings three weeks into the regular season is injuries, and correspondingly, a new starter will enter the mix this Sunday in Ireland: offensive guard Blake Brandel.
The Minnesota Vikings play football in Ireland this weekend, and one new starter will waltz into the lineup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With no hesitation this week, Minnesota announced that Brandel, a starter from 2024 who was demoted during the offseason, will get the nod in place of rookie Donovan Jackson after Jackson underwent an unexpected surgery on Monday.
Vikings Re-Up with Blake Brandel in the Starting Lineup
It’s a familiar arrangement for Brandel.
Blake Brandel to Start at Left Guard
Regarding Week 4 and probably until Week 7 at the earliest, Brandel is back in the saddle.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said this week, “Blake will step in. He was able to seamlessly step in once Christian Darrisaw’s day had kind of wrapped up at tackle. Now Blake — hopefully with Ryan Kelly coming back in the middle — you’ve got a guy that started seventeen, eighteen games a year ago at that left guard spot available to come in.”
Brandel can be considered a fine backup guard, and he’ll now hope to thrive as a starter, the role he filled in 2024.
Donovan Jackson on the Shelf
Out of nowhere this week, Minnesota announced that Jackson had surgery on Monday in Los Angeles. It’s a wrist injury.
The news hit hard, mainly because Jackson, a 1st-Round rookie from this year, had performed well, for the most part, in his first three games. Minnesota has long experienced turmoil at the offensive guard spot, so when Jackson looked the part in his first few games, the excitement was palpable.
Yet, as the saying goes, “The Vikings can’t have nice things,” and Jackson hit the shelf after the wrist injury. He’s not expected back until Week 7, when Minnesota hosts the world champion Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Brandel’s Starting Job Last Year
For Brandel, it’s a return to normalcy.
He started all 17 games at left guard last year, the first seven with Christian Darrisaw next to him at left tackle, the final 10 with Cam Robinson to his left. Minnesota traded for Robinson last season when Darrisaw tore his ACL.
The good news? Brandel played quite well in 2024 when Darrisaw flanked him on the offensive line. He did not thrive after Darrisaw hit injured reserve. All told, Brandel tabulated a 55.2 Pro Football Focus grade last year, though the score was much higher with Darrisaw in the mix.
Brandel did not show enough in 2024 to suggest a long-term starter’s role, prompting general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to draft the aforementioned Jackson in April. This go-round, Brandel will get a miniature shot at redemption.
OL at Full Force in Week 7?
Remember the Vikings’ grand offensive line plan from the spring and summer? Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, and Brian O’Neill? That group has not played together yet as a fivesome. Darrisaw just returned to action last weekend, and the moment he went live, Jackson had surgery the next day.
All signs point to the best fivesome seeing the field together in October, assuming no more injuries emerge, and that could occur in the Eagles showdown on October 19th.
Until then, it’s one man off with Brandel at left guard.
A to Z Sports on Brandel
Tyler Forness from A to Z Sports opined on Brandel after the Jackson injury news: “Losing Jackson is a tough blow for the Vikings, especially with how good his rookie season has been. However, a short-term injury is the best-case scenario for the player and team.”
“With Christian Darrisaw’s return on Sunday, it makes things a little more palpable to lose Jackson for a couple of games. Blake Brandal, who was the starter at left guard last season for the Vikings, will start in Jackson’s place. Brandal’s performance led the Vikings to draft Jackson to replace him.”
Brandel and the Vikings will encounter the NFL’s 23rd-best defense this week in Ireland per EPA/Play, courtesy of the Steelers.
Forness added, “However, his best games were next to Darrisaw, which he will be able to do for the next few weeks. In the six full games that Brandel played next to Darrisaw, he allowed just six pressures. The rest of the season saw Brandel allow 40 pressures. It’s not surprising to see Brandel’s performance dip without having one of the top left tackles playing next to him, but how well he played with Darrisaw flanking him was impressive.”
“Additionally, Brandel will have Ryan Kelly set to return from his concussion on the right, which is an improvement over what the Vikings had in Garrett Bradbury. Things will be just fine for the Vikings with Brandel in the game.”
Brandel is under contract in Minnesota through the end of 2026. He’ll turn 29 during the playoffs this season.
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