Very Quietly, A Vikings O-Lineman Has Been Gaining Ground for Job Opening
Opting to elevate Blake Brandel to the C1 spot comes at a cost. Not many backups are five-in-one players, capable of jumping into any of the o-line’s five positions. So, the Brandel promotion to a starting job is an instance of stealing from Peter to pay for Paul.
Who is going to replace the incredibly versatile Vikings o-lineman?
Last week, OC Wes Phillips addressed the issue in his press conference in front of the Minnesota media. He clarified that the depth setup may need to revert to a more traditional setup, with swing guards and swing tackles doing more work than previous years due to what Brandel offered. He looped in Henry Byrd, though, which hits as a surprise mention given the modest start to the large lad’s NFL career.
OC Wes Phillips Names Surprise Vikings O-Lineman
The question centered on how to replace Brandel due to the strategy at center. Is somebody ready to take on that job of being able to jump into any of the five positions?
“Yeah, the short answer is you got multiple guys,” Phillips began, “that have to kind of fill those roles that Blake was able to play.” Not long afterwards, Phillips described Byrd as somebody who is doing a lot of good things: “Henry Byrd’s played some center, played some guard, played some tackle. He’s been a guy who has been with us for a few years now and has continued to progress.” Note: Byrd is the only player to be specifically mentioned.
“Otherwise, it’ll be a little more standard, probably,” Phillips explained.
Originally, Henry Byrd turned pro in 2023, going undrafted. A shot with the Denver Broncos didn’t lead to a lasting home, allowing the Vikings to scoop him up.
Apart from a quick trio to the Bay Area to be a 49er, Byrd has been a Viking since 2023. He has primarily functioned as a depth lineman by working on the practice squad.
Being at that level of ball means needing to get shuffled around since his weeks would have involved giving the 53-man roster a look in practice by mimicking what the upcoming opponent likes to do. Indeed, being a practice squad talent means dabbling in many different responsibilities; whatever helps the starters to prepare is what needs to happen.
In other words, Byrd would have been in a nice spot to get shuffled all over the front five.
At 6’5″ and close to 315 pounds, Byrd boasts a nice build. He played his college ball at Princeton, suggesting there’s a brain in his head. All he has done so far in his pro career is play a dozen snaps on special teams, but he evidently has been putting in work behind the scenes. Phillips has taken notice.
Per the team, Byrd played both o-line and d-line in high school before performing at an elite level for Princeton’s o-line. So, too, does he have a connection to tap dancing, possibly allowing him to move elegantly across different spots.
Right now, the iOL is working through a transitional phase.
The top spots belong to LG Donovan Jackson, C Blake Brandel, and RG Will Fries. Maybe Caleb Tiernan gets moved inside. Already, Walter Rouse is being tasked with playing guard. Minnesota is then working with options such as Michael Jurgens and Delby Lemieux to further fortify these spots.
Lost in the shuffle, perhaps, has been Henry Byrd. He’ll boast a very good understanding of the offense since he has been in town for several years. That’s a necessary prerequisite were he to become a five-in-one depth player who mirrors what Brandel did for several years. He’s somebody to watch in training camp and the preseason.
Henry Byrd is 26.
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