Beyond just the quarterback position, we have seen Minnesota trend in a positive direction on the injury front. Of course the time off over the bye can be credited for that, but the injury report brings plenty of players close to ready with questionable statuses.

Questionable tags litter Minnesota Vikings front lines

The offensive line has been the focus of multiple injury updates this season. That is no different this week, although the linebacker group gets in on the action as well.

Final #PHIvsMIN injury report

OUT: OLB Andrew Van Ginkel

QUESTIONABLE: Tyler Batty*, Blake Cashman*, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Michael Jurgens, J.J. McCarthy, Brian O'Neill

*Returned to practice and currently within 21-day practice window pic.twitter.com/JT5OwFzxJv

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 17, 2025

Both Michael Jurgens and Brian O’Neill are still among linemen working back towards full health. Jurgens had been out with a hamstring injury, and O’Neill suffered an MCL sprain against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin.

It’s possible that O’Neill returns to the starting lineup, replacing Justin Skule, but he will be a game time decision and require a brace if he is out there.

Edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel remains out as he works through a neck injury, but inside linebacker Blake Cashman is expected back. Cashman has been out since Week 1, and his return could push Ivan Pace Jr. out of the starting lineup. Cashman will again assume green dot duties on defense.

Vikings make change at center

Minnesota started the season with veteran Ryan Kelly as their new starting center. Now having suffered two concussions in a matter of four weeks, the future of his career is in doubt. Michael Jurgens backed him up until he was off the field in London due to his hamstring injury. Now, after one career game at center, Blake Brandel is the starter.

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell says Blake Brandel will start at center.

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) October 17, 2025

Coming into Week 5 Blake Brandel had played 60 games in his professional career, and his 61st was the first one he played at center. It went well, so well in fact, he is now taking over for Jurgens.

It’s possible that Jurgens won’t actually be active on Sunday as he still has a questionable designation. However, the Minnesota Vikings gushed over Brandel’s play and believe in him enough to run it back this week.

Now, the Vikings are staring down a Week 7 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. It will be Minnesota’s sixth game of the season, and they still have yet to roll out the five original OL starters.

Unfortunately, that will not change any time soon, as we wait at least another three games for starting center Ryan Kelly to return from the injured list. It’s not all bad news, however, because the MN Vikings front five is getting healthier, out of the bye.

Blake Brandel may have found a new position on MN Vikings OL

In London two weeks ago, against the Cleveland Browns, both Kelly and his backup Michael Jurgens were on the shelf. That forced Blake Brandel — who hadn’t snapped a football in a game since grade school — to take over center duties.

How did it go… well, it depends on who you ask. But where it matters most, inside Minnesota Vikings facilities, he’s impressed enough to make coaches think twice before replacing him with Jurgens, even though he is now healthy.

Could Blake Brandel find a home at center after spending his NFL career at guard and tackle? Notable that Vikings OC Wes Phillips said: "The way Blake handled this game, I think we might be looking at a situation where this could be his best position of all five across the line."

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 14, 2025

Brandel played all 65 offensive snaps against the Browns. It remains to be seen how Minnesota will use Brandel with Jurgens expected to be back this week, but clearly he’s made that decision very difficult, especially if Brian O’Neill and Donovan Jackson both return from their injuries.

The Vikings drafted Brandel as a tackle, and he has been used in that capacity behind both Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. Last year he started all 17 games for Minnesota at left guard. With Will Fries signed and Donovan Jackson drafted, Brandel moved back to a depth role.

Although Brandel has never established himself as a high-level starter, he has consistently been a quality backup that can play multiple positions. If the Minnesota Vikings believe center is his best position after such limited time there, he may have pushed his utility even further.

The Vikings are set to host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday as they return to U.S. Bank Stadium for the first time in four weeks.

This time around, the Vikings enter as the official “away” team and their health bar is far from 100%, as the injury reports seem to grow longer with every passing week.

Three backup linemen for Minnesota Vikings

On Friday morning/afternoon (CDT/GMT), Kevin O’Connell’s wounded warriors completed their final “full” practice of the MN Vikings’ 2025 international business trip. Immediately after, they dropped yet another frustrating injury report, the final one for week 5.

It’s now official. We’ll see three backups on the starting line Sunday. (LG) Donovan Jackson underwent surgery last week, to fix a surprise wrist injury. Then on Sunday against the Steelers, (C) Ryan Kelly suffered his second concussion in as many games and Brian O’Neill sprained his MCL.

Final #MINvsCLE injury report

OUT: Donovan Jackson, Ryan Kelly, Michael Jurgens, J.J. McCarthy, Brian O'Neill and Andrew Van Ginkel

QUESTIONABLE: Tyler Batty*, C.J. Ham* and Ben Yurosek

*Returned to practice and currently within 21-day practice window pic.twitter.com/4yTyK4vkB0

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 3, 2025

But it gets worse. Kelly’s backup at center, Michael Jurgens, is also out with a hamstring injury. That means Blake Brandel will start at center Sunday for the first time in his career.

The depth behind the starting group is virtually non-existent. We could also see recently signed tackle Matt Waletzko elevated from the practice squad. Vershon Lee and Henry Byrd are also options there. If activated, Byrd would be the only natural center Minnesota has on roster vs Cleveland.

Center will be the third position Blake Brandel has played on the Minnesota Vikings o-line, in the past three weeks. If O’Neill’s injury winds up lasting longer than Donovan Jackson’s return, we could see Brandel get reps at right tackle before the season is over.

Carson Wentz will start behind a MN Vikings offensive line that goes Christian Darrisaw, Joe Huber, Blake Brandel, Will Fries, and Justin Skule, from left to right. That’s nothing like the five-man combination we expected to start 2025.

JJ McCarthy fails to get on practice field

Also of note in the above injury report is J.J. McCarthy’s DNP. Head coach Kevin O’Connell hinted at the return of a No. 9 red practice jersey this week in London, but that did not happen, which suggests his ankle isn’t as far along as the Vikings had hoped.

Minnesota has a Week 6 bye, following Sunday’s contest in Great Britain. While it’s still possible McCarthy returning for their return to play in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles, remains to be seen.

Andrew Van Ginkel, who has been dealing with a neck injury, will miss his third game. There is concern around insider circles that he may not be ready out of the bye, either.

Browns may miss key starters vs MN Vikings

It’s not just the Minnesota Vikings that could be down a couple of key starters on both sides of the ball this week. Cleveland Browns head coach noted that his team could face similar challenges.

Starting cornerback Greg Newsome was added to the injury report on Thursday as a limited participant. It sounds like his injury could be something stemming from Cleveland’s last game, and became bothersome as the week went on.

LIVE: Coach Stefanski speaks to the media after practice https://t.co/NMJUThgQR3

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 3, 2025

Starting right tackle Jack Conklin is also going to be listed as questionable. He has an elbow injury that has kept him out since Week 1, and his practice sessions were just limited this week.

Cleveland is nowhere near as banged up as Minnesota is, but down a tackle and corner, there would be additional opportunity for the Vikings to exploit their opponent.

The two teams kick off on Sunday at 8:30 am central time.

The Vikings unit zoomed up the total cost rankings across the league as a whole, but veteran additions raised the overall water level too. Fast forward to where we are now and Minnesota has just two projected starters available for Week 5, and they don’t have a center left on the roster.

New center incoming for Minnesota Vikings

Ryan Kelly suffered a concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers and left the game. It was his second concussion in a matter of four weeks, and would be six recorded during his career going back to Alabama. His backup, Michael Jurgens, appeared on the injury report with a hamstring issue Wednesday, and the team is now without a center on the roster.

That has led Kevin O’Connell to hold open tryouts ahead of their Week 5 game against the Cleveland Browns.

If Michael Jurgens can't play, the next center option is Blake Brandel. I recall him taking some practice snaps there over the years but not sure he's ever played center in a game. Rookie UDFA Joe Huber played a handful of snaps at center in college, and also in the Shrine game. https://t.co/M5W2b6jmil

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 2, 2025

The Vikings took Blake Brandel in the 2020 NFL Draft. He has since played in 60 games across his five seasons in the NFL. Not one of them has come at center, and none came at the position during his 48 collegiate games either.

“On Brandel, he spoke with reporters, it looks like today [Thursday] after practice. And, according to our friend Kevin Seifert of ESPN, he confirmed that while he has had a lot of practice reps at center over the past few years, he has never played the position in a game in his life. So that sort of tells you where things stand right now.”

Judd Zulgad – Purple Daily

It’s one thing for Carson Wentz to need a level of chemistry with Michael Jurgens. He had previously played with Kelly in Indianapolis and already had a relationship established. It’s entirely different for the quarterback to establish a cadence with a new center, and one that has never before played the position.

Snaps on Sunday against Cleveland will absolutely be something to watch. The center position is one that dictates the direction of the entire offense. Beyond just snaps though, false start, delay of game, and general consistency of the offense is all dictated by the correct understanding of when the ball needs to move.

Minnesota’s line was out of sync last week without Kelly, and things could understandably take a further step backwards on Sunday. How quickly Brandel can find a level of comfort may be the biggest key to victory.

MN Vikings offensive line in shambles

With Brandel needing to take over the center role, that means other positions on the line being in flux as well. Christian Darrisaw hasn’t practiced this week, but there isn’t any concern about his availability for Sunday. He and Will Fries are the only starters set to take the field as things stand now.

Undrafted rookie free agent Joe Huber is in line to start at left tackle. Brandel would be at center, and backup tackle Justin Skule will take over for Brian O’Neill on the right side. Skule struggled mightily while filling in for Darrisaw, and Huber has a whopping 12 total offensive snaps under his belt.

Although the Vikings signed Matt Waletzko on Wednesday, he is a tackle and doesn’t help the center depth. Henry Byrd is among the other practice squad linemen that could be elevated to supplement tackle Walter Rouse in case of another injury.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell will need to make sure he schemes the ball out of Carson Wentz’s hands quickly. There’s not a reason for O’Connell to think that the offense will be at its peak this week, but it’s a survive and advance mentality.

The hope is that Minnesota can best the Browns and then use the bye week to generate a new level of health. If that can play out, then there’s real hope for the rest of the season.

Last week Andrew Van Ginkel sat out his second game of the season for Minnesota. With a second-straight international game on deck, the concern now is the offensive line continuing to lose talent.

Thursday’s injury report only compounded Wednesday’s problems.

Nine Minnesota Vikings sidelined on Thursday

With time running out ahead of their Week 5 game against the Cleveland Browns, the injury report grew on Thursday. Eight players didn’t practice on Wednesday, and Dallas Turner bumped it to nine on Thursday.

Thursday's #Vikings injury report pic.twitter.com/uY8iEi6qgD

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 2, 2025

It wouldn’t seem that Turner’s issue is long term. Being described as an illness, it’s likely he is back on the field tomorrow. However, if it is something that lingers, that would be a problem considering he is the top backup with Andrew Van Ginkel out.

Donovan Jackson is still recovering from his wrist surgery and will be out through the Week 6 bye. It doesn’t look like Brian O’Neill will be available Sunday either as he heals his sprained MCL.

The center position has taken a huge hit with both starter Ryan Kelly (concussion) and backup Michael Jurgens (hamstring) off the field. The Vikings don’t have another center on their active roster or practice squad, which would force Blake Brandel into the role for the first time in his career.

Cleveland is definitely a beatable team even with the injuries Minnesota is trying to overcome. They will be starting rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel for his NFL debut, and pass rusher Myles Garrett didn’t practice on Wednesday.

Minnesota can’t afford to overlook the Browns though. That defense is legit, and they already upset the Green Bay Packers earlier this season.

The Vikings and Browns are set to kick off at 8:30 am central time Sunday. Minnesota will hope to get a cleaner bill of health in the final days leading up to the contest.

However, by the time the weekend was done, the Vikings emerged with five new draftees, instead of the expected four. They even swung a trade for a new backup quarterback. After it all, who are the Vikings’ three biggest winners and losers from the NFL Draft?

Related: 2025 Minnesota Vikings Draft Class is Complete

2025 Minnesota Vikings Draft Day Loser: Blake Brandel

The biggest loser from the Vikings’ draft class is clearly Blake Brandel. Before the draft kicked off, the former sixth-round pick was in line to reclaim his role as the starting left guard. Now? After selecting Donovan Jackson with the 24th overall pick, Brandel is expected to return to a backup role in 2025.

That doesn’t mean he won’t or can’t make an impact on the upcoming season. Not only can he go back to the role he thrived in, which is playing swing OL whenever called upon, but the Minnesota Vikings will need him to push Jackson in camp.

Related: NFL Draft Experts Drool Over New MN Viking, Donovan Jackson

And at the end of the day, there’s no guarantee Donovan Jackson is NFL-ready, right from the get-go. As a first-round pick, that may be the expectation. But expectations do not always align with reality. It won’t take long for the Vikings to realize what they have in their new left guard.

When that time comes, Brandel’s future role in purple will be more clear. Without a doubt, however, it’s clear that Brandel’s job is considerably more in jeopardy today than it was on Thursday afternoon.

Loser: Brett Rypien

Like Brandel, Brett Rypien was set for a more featured role this season, as J.J. McCarthy’s backup quarterback. That’s an upgrade from last season when he became the QB3 as rosters were being finalized. Yet, once again, Rypien is set to become the team’s No. 3 quarterback following the trade for Sam Howell.

While Rypien, 28, may be disappointed in his QB3 role, we all knew the Vikings were going to add another quarterback before the season started. Here’s the thing, though… in a matter of minutes on Saturday, Rypien may have dropped from QB2, all the way down to QB4.

The Minnesota Vikings didn’t just add one rookie quarterback this weekend, they also made former Minnesota Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer a priority undrafted free agent signing, even guaranteeing him $250,000 to seal the deal.

Related: Max Brosmer is Staying in Minnesota

Vikings fans out there who double as Gopher football fans, know… Max Brosmer is not going to give up his purple jersey without a fight. So with all the young talent in the Vikings new QB room, it’s very plausible Rypien could once again find himself on the outside looking in, when final training camp cuts are made, come August.

Loser: Jalen Nailor

Jalen Nailor is headed into the final year of his contract, and the Vikings may not be able to afford a second contract for the speedster. Yet, by adding Tai Felton, the Vikings get a new potential long-term WR3, and like Nailor, he’s quick.

Felton clocked a 4.37 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and the Vikings believe he can be their next playmaker who helps take attention away from Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. The Vikings also added five undrafted free agent receivers, showing how eager they are to find another pass-catcher who can contribute on a weekly basis.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Swing Trade and Draft New Wide Receiver

2025 MN Vikings Draft Day Winner: Jordan Mason

When the offseason kicked off, running back was listed as one of the Minnesota Vikings’ biggest needs. Re-signing Aaron Jones and trading for Jordan Mason — who went for 789 rushing yards (3 TD) and 164 receiving yards with the Niners last season — has KOC & Co feeling comfortable with their backfield entering the 2025 season.

But that wasn’t clear heading into the draft. Given their interest in running backs throughout the scouting process, RB still felt like a position the Vikings would target with one of their four draft picks, even if they waited until the later rounds. At the end of the day, this draft class just had too much running back talent to just pass up, right?

Related: Minnesota Vikings Have Big Plans for Jordan Mason

Then, seven rounds went by without the Vikings selecting anyone with an “RB” in front of their name. Now, barring any unforeseen additions between now and week one, it appears this team’s backfield work in 2025 will be divvied up between mostly Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, with some Ty Chandler sprinkled in.

With Jones’ now 30, Mason will get every opportunity to prove he can be a future starter.

Winner: Christian Darrisaw

How is Christian Darrisaw a winner? No one was ever coming for the former first-round pick’s starting spot. However, the Minnesota Vikings hope his life at left tackle just got a whole lot easier, with the addition of No. 24 overall, Donovan Jackson, who’s expected to slot in right next to Darrisaw at left guard.

Since he took over as the starter in 2021, Darrisaw has dealt with a turnstile of bad to mediocre guards to help him protect the left side of the MN Vikings offensive line. If Jackson is what the Vikings believe, he should be able to take the starting left guard spot away from the aforementioned Blake Brandel pretty quickly.

Related: Christian Darrisaw Blown Away by How Good Dallas Turner is Already

As long as the next three months play out on the practice and preseason fields, like they do right now on paper, then Christian Darrisaw’s life just got a whole lot easier, and that’s before you factor in the improvement at center (Ryan Kelly) and right guard (Will Fries).

Ideally, not only will Darrisaw be able to focus on sealing the edge — without having to worry as much about making sure Brandel is handling his assignment too — but he can also take his time getting healthy, after season-ending knee surgery in 2024.

If he can’t return immediately in 2025, Jackson played an impressive left tackle last season at Ohio State. And when he does return, he won’t be pulling double duty (hopefully).

Winner: J.J. McCarthy

There’s no bigger winner in the NFL Draft than J.J. McCarthy, who now has an even more reinforced offensive line, plus a new weapon to work with thanks to the Vikings’ first two picks.

Instead of trying to find more pieces for Brian Flores’ defense, the Vikings opted to do everything in their power to make sure their year-old QB had everything he needed to succeed in his first season as a starter.

Related: All 20 Minnesota Vikings Undrafted Free Agents

Instead of picking a running back, receiver, or tight end first, the Vikings made a move that they hope will give McCarthy more time to make his reads while protecting him in the pocket.

Ultimately, the Vikings may have very well made the best decision to help their young leader thrive, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise considering how QB-friendly Kevin O’Connell’s system has become.

The Philadelphia Eagles just throttled the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Not only did they have a great defense, but they built their identity up front, on both lines. This is a strategy the Vikings will need to emulate soon, one they have yet to seriously pursue..

Minnesota Vikings need to make lines a priority

This season the Minnesota Vikings rolled out Blake Brandel as their left guard, hoping he would solidify that side. Performance issues then led to Dalton Risner stepping in for Ed Ingram at the other guard position, showcasing the team’s ongoing struggle to find consistency up front. The interior defensive line proved particularly weak, struggling against opposing offenses throughout the season. In contrast, the Philadelphia Eagles have long prioritized their linemen, both offensively and defensively, focusing on quality over quantity in their drafts. While Minnesota has not shied away from selecting linemen, their approach has often resulted in more bodies than standout performers, highlighting a clear disparity in strategy and execution between the two teams..

“Philadelphia has picked 40 players in the last five NFL drafts. Almost half of them have been linemen. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has not been shy about the trenches being his priority. “I’m sure there’s some people sick and tired of seeing the Philadelphia Eagles take linemen,” he said in 2021, “but that’s how we won a championship, and that’s how we’re going to win another championship.”

“Since 2020, the Vikings have had 17 picks in the first three rounds. They’ve used only two on defensive linemen: edge rushers Dallas Turner and Patrick Jones II. Conversely, during that span, Philadelphia has picked 16 players in the first three rounds. Five have been defensive linemen: Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith, Milton Williams and Jalyx Hunt.”

Alec Lewis on the Vikings line draft picks (The Athletic)

While this is largely in reference to the defensive front, the Minnesota Vikings need is two-fold. Help is a must on the interior of both lines, and Minnesota can’t afford to miss. They have virtually the entire cornerback room leaving, but the trenches also need to be addressed.

Related: NFL Insider Reveals: One Vikings DB Expected to Re-Sign, Another Likely to Leave

After a 14-win season, the Vikings own the 24th overall pick in the upcoming draft. It almost has to be used on a defensive tackle or guard. Thankfully this is a draft flush with interior talent.

Although the Vikings certainly get to laugh at the Eagles over the selection of Jalen Reagor leaving Justin Jefferson available, the other results have not been as kind.

“The other notable difference between the teams’ draftees in the trenches is the sheer number of hits. In 2018, the same year Philadelphia drafted Josh Sweat and Jordan Mailata in the fourth and seventh rounds, respectively, Minnesota whiffed on defensive tackle Jalyn Holmes and guard Colby Gossett in the fourth and sixth rounds. In 2022, the Eagles drafted starting center Cam Jurgens in the second round. Eight picks later, the Vikings snagged right guard and potential cut Ed Ingram.”

Lewis on the Vikings and Eagles line selections (The Athletic)

MN Draft Issues?

To say that general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has missed during the draft process would be putting it kindly. He has been exceptional when identifying free agents, but cheap contracts are what allow a roster to function properly.

The Minnesota Vikings can’t afford to leave the lines untouched again, and they must make it work this offseason. Whether J.J. McCarthy is under center, or some other veteran quarterback is, both offense and defense need to show out up front.

Kevin O’Connell earned Coach of the Year honors this season because he got the team to perform despite lacking expectations. They are potentially going to take a step back next year, but the quality in the trenches can help to mitigate a disaster. As we learned this year however, expectations are just that.

Yet, it is very possible the Vikings do stick with an in-house option, to try and replace one of the best offensive tackles in all of football. And if they decide to go that route, Blake Brandel — who currently plays left guard — sliding one spot over makes the most sense.

Why Brandel? According to PFF, Blake has played 926 offensive snaps in his NFL career. 273 of those reps have been at left tackle. Before he was drafted by Minnesota in the 6th round of the 2020 draft, Brandel attended Oregon State University from 2016 to 2019, where he logged a total of 3,320 snaps on the offensive line, all as a tackle. The former Beaver played 2,711 snaps from the left side, 597 at right tackle (all as a freshman).

Blake Brandel, Minnesota Vikings still figuring out plan at left tackler

While there have been plenty of rumors connecting the Vikings to various left tackles, in both free agency and on the trade block, Blake Brandel met with reporters on Friday and all but admitted the decisions happening on the offensive line are fluid, but a lot of things are being discussed.

Vikings LG Blake Brandel on whether coaches have talked to him about moving to LT to replace Christian Darrisaw: “we’re still figuring everything out.”

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 28, 2024

Brandel also said "I'll do whatever" while noting "it's been a while" since he's even practiced at left tackle. Part of the gray area here is that if Brandel moves to LT, Dalton Risner likely would replace him at LG, and Risner still hasn't been added to the 53-man roster. https://t.co/ycqfMbSzmZ

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 28, 2024

A couple of things appear quite obvious, given Brandel’s answer to the questions surrounding whether or not the Minnesota Vikings have talked to him about moving over to left tackle. He’d do whatever asked. But it sounds like he wants to play left guard.

And you can’t blame the guy. He has been going much of his NFL career as a backup. Now, he seems to have finally mastered a position, with left guard. If I were Blake Brandel, I wouldn’t want to let Dalton Risner slide into my starting spot at left guard, while I replace one of the best offensive tackles in the league, and look like a shell of the guy I did when Darrisaw was healthy.

Related: Vikings WR Jordan Addison Responds to Social Media Controversy

It is worth noting that there isn’t a very big difference in Brandel’s PFF grades, when he has played tackle in the NFL, vs guard. In 2022, when he logged those 275 snaps at left tackle, the former Beaver graded at pretty much the exact same thing he did in 2023, when all 163 of his snaps came at RG. 2024 is his real first blow up year, according to Pro Football Focus.

But the dagger of week 8 came via a season-ending Christian Darrisaw knee injury, that happened as the final seconds of the first half were taking away. Now, the Vikings can add left tackle to their list of needs, with just over one week remaining until the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline.

Every LT linked to Minnesota Vikings since Christian Darrisaw injury

While Kevin O’Connell does have at least one decent internal option, there have been plenty of outside names linked to Minnesota, as well. Here’s the full rundown of every LT currently outside the organization, who has been tied to the Vikings in one form or another, since Darrisaw’s injury.

D.J. Humphries, Free Agent

A former first round pick, Humphries has spent his entire professional career playing for the Arizona Cardinals. He has started every game he has ever played in (98), but was released prior to the 2024 season.

Injuries have been an issue, but he played at a Pro Bowl level in 2021. Albert Breer recently brought his name up as a potential fit for Minnesota, and as a free agent it’s a relatively straightforward acquisition.

Former Cardinals first-round pick D.J. Humphries, who is recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season, is visiting today with the New York Giants. The Giants lost OT Andrew Thomas to season-ending foot surgery, and Humphries played left tackle in Arizona for nine seasons. pic.twitter.com/U46eFfAvpl

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 22, 2024

Although Humphries is 30 years old, the Vikings don’t exactly need to worry about building the position for years to come. Darrisaw signed a new contract prior to this season, and should return to Pro Bowl form next season. Humphries may not yet be ready to go, but did take a recent visit to the Giants and should be close to available.

Related: 5 Christian Darrisaw Injury Replacements for the Minnesota Vikings

David Bakhtiari, Free Agent

Similarities between Bakhtiari and Humphries are significant. Both are current free agents, that have dealt with injuries, and have played their entire career for a single team. The Vikings know Bakhtiari well as the former Green Bay Packers guard has 131 career NFL starts.

David Bakhtiari announced that he is being released by the Green Bay Packers #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/vDSouA5Yop

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 11, 2024

He too is a name brought up by Breer. Bakhtiari is a bit of a dice roll as he has been limited to just 13 games the past three seasons, and he just turned 33 years old. If the veteran wants to give it another go for a team with legitimate playoff aspirations, then staying in a division he knows well could make sense.

Related: Report: Minnesota Vikings Will Wait Another Week to Decide NFL Trade Deadline Plans

Charles Leno Jr., Free Agent

Another free agent that Breer thinks the Vikings could kick the tires on is Charles Leno Jr. At 33 years old he is the same age as Bakhtiari but there isn’t much of an injury history to worry about. Leno Jr. spent the bulk of his career with the Chicago Bears prior to playing for Washington the past three seasons.

BREAKING NEWS: Charles Leno Jr has officially accepted a new role as a stay at home dad 🤪 Nurse Jen activated ✅😂

Thanks for everything Washington! Y’all have embraced our family with open arms these past 3 years through some super difficult times & we will forever love yall! pic.twitter.com/3MLOI9Rk8b

— Jen Leno (@jennifermleno72) March 1, 2024

Last season did end with Leno Jr. playing in just 13 games as he dealt with a hip issue. Ultimately it required surgery in March, and that led to his release by the Commanders. A clean bill of health should be the expectation at this point, and he could easily slot in as an immediate starter.

Brady Christensen, Carolina Panthers

The only trade target on this list is a name that Alec Lewis highlighted for The Athletic. Christensen hasn’t played tackle in the NFL consistently since his first season. However, he is a polished guard, and just 28-years-old. With a contract extension, he would fill an emergency need in 2024, plus fix their right guard spot, in the long run. That may make him the most intriguing option of the bunch.

It remains to be seen what the Panthers would ask for in exchange. Christensen has been relegated to backup duties for Carolina, and they are an awful team at this point. Minnesota making a two-player deal that includes Adam Thielen as well could be a lot of fun.

#Panthers C Brady Christensen vs. Commanders

1. Beat on initial rush, shows effort to wash out 94 in pass pro.

2. Good drive off the ball + pad level/leverage to drive into the dirt.

3 and 4. Second level ability, functional quickness, and work off duo block to LB. pic.twitter.com/nhZs6GFkf1

— Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) October 23, 2024

Related: Local Insider Identifies Two Intriguing Minnesota Vikings Trade Targets

There is also the possibility that the Vikings do nothing, to add OL help, and instead slide Blake Brandel back over to left tackle. That’s probably the path of least resistance and would be a straightforward way to address the position. That scenario does leave Ed Ingram still starting, and exposes Dalton Risner’s lacking skills in run blocking scenarios.

Related: Minnesota Vikings May Already Have Their New Left Tackle on Roster

Minnesota is quickly approaching a tilt against the Indianapolis Colts and they’ll need to figure out their decision soon.

There are options on the free agent market. The Vikings are also expected to be buyers, before the trade deadline, and could add a left tackle to their shopping list. But they only have one week before they’ll take the field again, and running David Quessenberry back out there is not an option worth considering.

Line shuffles as Minnesota Vikings replace Christian Darrisaw

This isn’t the first time that Christian Darrisaw has missed time. He has never made it through a full season, since being drafted 23rd overall in 2021. So replacing his production midseason, is nothing new. But he’s also never been this dominant, either.

Previously it has been Blake Brandel to step in, and another offensive line activation could free him up to slide back over. Matthew Coller seems to think that’s the path forward as he suggested on a recent Purple Insider episode.

“I’ll tell ya the one that sounds like it’s the most clear. Of the three different options, the first one is, in my mind, to put Dalton Risner at left guard and then move Blake Brandel over to left tackle. That’s the one that makes the most sense to me because Brandel came up as a left tackle in this league. He’s a starting caliber player. He has played over 270 snaps at left tackle, in 2022. If you remember, the Buffalo game, Darrisaw went out of that game and Brandel came in and saved the day. Slowed down the Buffalo pass rush. He is a capable starting offensive lineman who has a lot of experience at left tackle.”

Mattew Coller on Blake Brandel moving to LT (Purple Insider)

Coller’s suggestion is certainly the most straightforward option for Kevin O’Connell. Brandel has already stepped in for Darrisaw and knows the responsibilities. It’s unfortunate that Risner starting doesn’t send Ed Ingram to the bench, but the veteran has his own warts too. This is an offensive line configuration we saw last year, and would at least be a competent group, on paper.

Related: 5 Christian Darrisaw Injury Replacements for the Minnesota Vikings

Darrisaw’s injury hurts Sam Darnold the most. The Minnesota Vikings quarterback has already been sacked the 2nd most times of any QB in the league (21), behind only Deshaun Watson (33). He has held onto the football for far too long this season, and making a tweak there could help him find better situations moving forward.

Among all #NFL pocket QBs, nobody has held the ball longer than @Vikings QB Sam Darnold.

A large part of the problem on why his sack rate is so high.

(H/T): @Purple_Insider https://t.co/RpKtZUkvbr pic.twitter.com/HrCInLf37Q

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) October 26, 2024

Related: Minnesota Vikings Finally Activate TJ Hockenson

The Vikings will need to first activate Risner heading into their game against the Indianapolis Colts. Where Brandel lines up throughout practice this week will give us every indication as to what the plan moving forward will look like.