The Garrett Bradbury era in Minneapolis will soon wind down.
Vikings Sign Splashy Free Agent
The Minnesota Vikings signed four-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly on Monday, a significant addition to an offensive line ravaged by the Los Angeles Rams in the postseason.
NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport tweeted, “The Vikings are expected to sign four-time Pro Bowl Colts standout C Ryan Kelly, per me and Tom Pelissero. A key veteran addition. He gets a 2-year, $18M deal.”
The move represents the Vikings’ most significant investment in the offensive line’s interior … in years. For weeks, fans hoped the purple team would take the plunge with Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman in free agency, but the Chicago Bears wiped Dalman off the board right away on Monday.
So, the Vikings landed Kelly, and in all likelihood, the aforementioned Bradbury, who has played center in the Twin Cities for six seasons, will be cut, a move that could save Minnesota more than $5 million if it’s a post-June 1 cut.
Here’s Kelly’s Pro Football Focus resume to date:
- 2024: 67.0
- 2023: 77.2
- 2022: 64.3
- 2021: 56.9
- 2020: 68.0
- 2019: 73.0
- 2018: 74.3
- 2017: 60.4
- 2016: 72.4
Kelly has played 121 games since joining the Colts from Round 1 of the 2016 NFL Draft and started all 121. He was an All-Pro in 2020.
For now, Adofo-Mensah has guards Ed Ingram and Blake Brandel under contract for 2025, along with the newcomer, Kelly, at center. Most fans expected iOL change this offseason, especially after Kevin O’Connell’s comments about the Wildcard loss to the Los Angeles Rams. O’Connell was sure to call out the trenches. With the Kelly addition, the process is underway.
“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 losing in the postseason.
“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.”
Next, fans will hope that one or two guards join the purple team via free agency. Some fans have even called for Minnesota to sign Kelly’s teammate with the Indianapolis Colts, Will Fries. Fries is the best offensive guard on the free-agent market and had not been signed by any team at the time of this article’s publication.
Kelly will turn 32 in May.
Josh Dobbs Rides Again
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.