Mike Zimmer can try to spin it all he wants to. The Minnesota Vikings activating and releasing Pat Elflein Saturday morning was weird. Sure the offensive line has looked better of late… but could it have looked worse than what it did for the first handful of games this season?

Some dude named Dakota Dozier is currently starting at LG for the Vikings. When Elflein was released on Saturday, “sources” said Brett Jones is going to be elevated again from the practice squad (lol) vs the Bears. I’m sure teams were foaming at the mouth to steal Jones from us if we didn’t call him up…. (not).

We may never find out what exactly happened with Pat. We do know a few things, though. The Vikings’ offensive line is now as thin as the ice that sits on our Minnesota lakes today (there isn’t any ice on our lakes yet) but it has 4 starters that are playing pretty well and showing promise for the future.

#Vikings OL according to PFF.

Reiff | Doz | Brad | Clev | O’Neil
71.2 | 52.9 | 68.9 | 63.2 | 80.2

Elflein’s grade is a 60.

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) November 15, 2020

Leaving Ezra Cleveland at RG

If you were planning on Ezra Cleveland being your starting left tackle for 2021 and beyond, then that’s probably where you would want to play him now. But after holding onto Reiff at the trade deadline and now releasing Elflein, it’s clear the Vikings are happy to play Cleveland at right guard, not left tackle.

Those two positions are very different. Cleveland is going through both a position AND side change. Most O-linemen don’t like to do one or the other, let alone both. I can’t imagine the Vikings making moves this drastic if their foreseeable future plans had Cleveland at LT. I expect them to play Cleveland at RG into 2021.

That means you re-sign Riley Reiff, right?

If the Minnesota Vikings plan on keeping their 2020 2nd round rookie at RG, then they can’t afford to let Riley Reiff go at the end of this season. Luckily for them, Reiff is under contract through the 2021 season. Does that surprise anyone?

The Wilfs would have to pay him more than they have in any year yet… but $14M (cap-hit) isn’t overpaying for a starting LT. Let’s not forget about the pay-cut they forced him to take before the 2020 season. Would he take a haircut again? He’s only supposed to make $11.6M in cash so you’d think the Vikings could re-work the deal so it’s easier on the cap and Reiff still makes as much in cash. We’ll see..

At this point, I’d say Reiff is more likely to play his home games in Minnesota next season, than not. If you would have told me that before the trade deadline, I would have laughed at you. I just don’t see any way Spielman can find a better bang for his buck in free agency.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly released Pat Elflein, “to help him some opportunity at real playing time elsewhere.” What is happening? Elflein was just activated off of injured reserve on Friday.

Source: The #Vikings have released G Pat Elflein. The veteran now goes on waivers. Just off IR, he’s healthy now and this gives him the opportunity to get some real playing time elsewhere.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 14, 2020

The Vikings selected Elflein out of Ohio State, in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was a 1st-team Big Ten selection 3 times and won the Rimington/Pace Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year Award in 2016. The Minnesota staff trusted him enough to start 42 of his 43 games in purple and gold.

This move will blow some minds around the state. Pat hasn’t been what the Vikings had hoped he would be, when he was drafted, but to cut him from a team that is always hungry for offensive line talent/depth, just seems ludicrous on its face. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what else comes out.

Update: 2:22 PM

This report (including a Mike Zimmer quote) is via Chris Tomasson at the St.Paul Pioneer Press (TwinCities.com) and shows that the Minnesota Vikings had clearly given up on Pat Elflein.

A source said the decision to go with Cleveland played a key role in cutting Elflein, who did not factor in the team’s future.

“We just felt like we had some better options,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said of the move. “It’s always tough. These guys come in and compete and work real hard. Sometimes you just have to make those decisions.”

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The Minnesota Vikings have possibly the worst professional offensive lineman I’ve ever seen, in Dru Samia. I first took notice last week, while watching back Kirk Cousins’ snaps from week 4. Anytime there was pressure, Dru Samia seemed to be getting rolled over or he was off somewhere, blocking nobody.

At first glance, Samia looked just as bad (if not worse) on Sunday night vs the Seahawks, but I thought it might just be me taking closer notice… Early in the week though, Luke Braun (Locked On Vikings Podcast) made this video of Dru Samia highlights and confirmed what everybody (myself included) saw in real time.

https://t.co/gNN4yQi9ip pic.twitter.com/OQyzSbMwI0

— Luke Braun (@LukeBraunNFL) October 12, 2020

I don’t mean to continue hammering on Dru Samia. This is a 2nd-year player who clearly isn’t ready for the role he’s been thrust into. Having watched him closely, I don’t think he’ll ever become a starting offensive lineman in the NFL… but I wouldn’t stop your NFL conversations with my opinion.

Samia isn’t ready

Right now, however, he isn’t ready. That conclusion doesn’t take all-22 film or a degree in American Football Strategery, to come to grips with.

But if you expected the Minnesota Vikings to make a change at RG or for Gary Kubiak to admit defeat on Samia’s ability, then you’d better head back to the drawing board. While Kubiak has plenty of good things to say about Ezra Cleveland’s progress at practice (of course he does), he also names Samia as the starter for week 7 vs the Atlanta Falcons.

Gary Kubiak seems really pleased with the development of Ezra Cleveland. Said he had a really good practice today and him making the next step is “probably just about an opportunity.” Said that “his time is coming” and confirmed he’s getting practice reps at guard & tackle.

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) October 15, 2020

Kubiak did say he will stick with Dru Samia at right guard. “We’ve got to continue to grow Dru, and we’ve got to work to some of the mistakes, but we’re also hanging onto some of the positive things he’s doing. We believe in our group, and we’ll just keep working.”

— Ben Goessling (@GoesslingStrib) October 15, 2020

Did you see the Samia film above? If Ezra Cleveland is worse than that… then we should have drafted someone else in the 2nd round. For example, Antoine Winfield Jr was taken 13 slots ahead of Cleveland. How many of Spielman’s (6) 6th-7th round picks would it have taken to jump up and grab Winfield Jr, who is gunning for NFL Rookie of the Year?

Don’t hate the coach, hate the game…

I’m not mad at Gary Kubiak for his interview… What’s he supposed to say? “Yeah, my right guard options suck.” He’s incredible at telling the media what he wants them to hear, even if it makes no sense. He’s the polar opposite of Mike Zimmer, when it comes to his interaction with reporters. It doesn’t make his comments any less asinine, however.

Just to throw in more confusion, Dru Samia didn’t practice today with a wrist injury… making Kubiak’s comments even more dumbfounding. It’s also worth noting, that starting RG Pat Elflein (who is eligible to come off IR), was at practice today.

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

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 15, 2020

Here is his Kubiak’s interview, from earlier this afternoon.

LIVE: Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach Gary Kubiak previews #ATLvsMIN https://t.co/KC7Sh8uemM

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 15, 2020

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Heading into the 2017 draft, Elflein was ranked #80 on Jeff Legwold’s (ESPN.com) big board. Getting the Pickerington, Ohio native at number 70 was considered a homerun pick, according to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Burke.

“A doozy of a find in Round 3, and well worth trading up from No. 79 to get him. Elflein was the best center in this draft, and I think he can be Minnesota’s man in the middle for years to come,” said Burke.

Pat was indeed the man in the middle for the Viking,s in his rookie season. He started 14 games and was a key cog for the NFC runners-up. In the title game, however, he injured his ankle in the third quarter and was forced to miss the first four games of his 2nd season.

Elflein played in 863 snaps during Kirk Cousins’ first year under center for the Vikings, which was 36th among all guards/centers (according to Pro Football Focus). Among those 863 snaps, Elflein had seven penalties (T-4th highest) and gave up four sacks, which was tied for second most among all guards and centers.

via GIPHY

Pat Elflein was a big part of the issues on the offensive line, which ranked as the 29th best pass blocking unit in football (PFF), in 2018. As a unit, the Vikings gave up 226 pressures, which was the most in pro football.

The struggles from 2018, resulted in Vikings general manager Rick Spielman picking up Garrett Bradbury in the 2019 draft, who also won the Rimington Trophy in his final season at North Carolina State University. That forced Elflein to move back to guard, where he had a final grade of 64.8, allowed six sacks and had eight penalties in 2019….

It may have been a result of the system, under the tutelage of Gary Kubiak, but the Vikings were rated the 19th best NFL offensive line in 2019… much due to their success in the run game.

via GIPHY

After releasing Josh Kline, who was the starting right guard a season ago, it would be logical for the Vikings to slide Elflein over to the right side and push Riley Reiff to left guard. Reiff hasn’t played LG in the NFL, but did play the position in a handful of games at the University of Iowa.

Second year man, Dru Samia, could be the wrench in Pat Elflein’s plans. The Vikings absolutely love Samia. Don’t forget about Ezra Cleveland, who could start as early as week one, at left tackle. Should that be the case, the Vikings have four of their five OL spots secured, leaving one spot up for grabs; left guard.

Rick Spielman said he feels good about the Vikings’ offensive line, adding that the team is still high on Dru Samia. It seems like Samia has a good shot to win one of the starting guard jobs.

— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) April 26, 2020

Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State:

• Testing athleticism matches up
• Patient + Poised pass sets (++)
• Calculated second level climbs
• Efficient punch w/either hand
• Above average anchor strength (+)
• Excellent zone-scheme fit
• Trial and error early NFL starter pic.twitter.com/Ol8OZbXGeJ

— Jordan Reid (@JReidNFL) March 3, 2020

Whether it’s a battle with Dru Samia or Riley Reiff is pushed inside by Ezra Cleveland, Pat Elflein will have to fight just to play on the 2020 Vikings offensive line… but Samia hasn’t proven he belongs yet and the Vikings might decide to cut Reiff (if Elflein can prove capable), which would save the Vikings $8.8 million dollars in cap space.

Time is running out for Elflein to prove himself worthy of a spot on a young and (hopefully) promising offensive line. No matter which way you slice it, this offseason will be the one where Elflein could make or break his career.

Hunter Plante | Minnesota Sports Fan

The Vikings offensive line was so terrible last year that it may have cost them a spot in the playoffs. And early in the offseason, the Vikings front office seems to be exploring all angles of improvement. It starts with looking at what you have internally. Is everyone in their best position for team success?

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

The #Vikings will “start at the bottom and build something” on offense this offseason. One change they’ve considered is moving left tackle Riley Reiff, possibly to guard: https://t.co/Oucf2zyxFl

— Andrew Krammer (@Andrew_Krammer) February 5, 2019

[/et_pb_code][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

#Vikings suggest Riley Reiff could be moved to guard next season while the team focuses on drafting a tackle.

Things clearly didn’t go smoothly moving Remmers inside last year, but maybe Reiff would have more success.

Thoughts?

— Sean Borman (@SeanBoarMan) February 5, 2019

[/et_pb_code][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

Riley Reiff’s run blocking grade of 68.3 is ranked 22nd for OTs. His pass blocking grade of 71.3 is ranked 45th for OTs. And his 42 pressures allowed this year is tied for 8th most of OTs with greater than 230 snaps. Can moving him inside to guard improve his efficiency? https://t.co/LzhXHniXls

— PFF MIN Vikings (@PFF_Vikings) February 5, 2019

[/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

I get it. The desperation to get this offensive line fixed as quickly as possible means everything is on the table. We can safely say the Mike Remmers experiment at guard last year was a disaster. Moving him back to his natural position does make some sense (or we could just cut him entirely).

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

I actually wouldn't hate Reiff moving inside to left guard if it meant the Vikings intended to move Remmers back to right tackle and O'Neill to left tackle.

It's a lot of movement, but at least on paper that's probably the best in-house permutation.

— Nick Olson (@NickOlsonNFL) February 6, 2019

[/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

The best way to build up an offensive line is to draft tackles and build inward. We have Pat Elflein at center, and Brian O’Neil was a godsend at right tackle last year. I’m not keen on moving him after just one season in the NFL, like what Nick suggested above. Also remember, starting guards come cheaper than tackles. 

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

Yes, the Vikings need offensive linemen, but one of the perks of Brian O'Neill developing so quickly is that the team doesn't need to reach for a tackle in the first round of the draft, and can wait until the second and third rounds to find plenty of starting-caliber guards.

— Nick Olson (@NickOlsonNFL) January 29, 2019

[/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

I think the biggest point to keep in mind here is that the Vikings are exploring their options. They will look to make improvements in free agency, and through the draft, and if they can’t get it done, they will look at other ways to improve the roster.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

The majority of Vikings Twitter would be elated if the team signed Rodger Saffold to play OG for the team.

Saffold played 3 years as a starting LT before he transitioned to OG in the NFL.

Vikings Twitter thinks the Vikings are idiots if they move Riley Reiff from OT to OG.

— Brian Hawkes (@bdhawkes) February 6, 2019

[/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

Naming an offensive line coach today was a good start.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

The #Vikings 2019 coaching staff as it stands today. pic.twitter.com/8S3tVhjASm

— Vikings PR (@VikingsPR) February 8, 2019

[/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

Or, co-offensive line coaches… No, it isn’t normal. But this is Minnesota. Nothing we do in sports is normal.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.12″]

Seth Toupal | Minnesota Sports Fan

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.19.12″]Follow @sethtoupshttps://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js[/et_pb_code][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

This week, we talked a lot about whether or not the Vikings would make a trade, specifically targeting more offensive line help. I talked to Toups on his radio show “The Scoop” on KLGR out of Alexandria, about that exact topic on Thursday. Those “in the know” saw a trade as being not just being possible before the regular season, but likely. And sure enough, as everyone gets home from stuffing their faces at the Minnesota State Fair on this beautiful Sunday evening, they will be arriving to trade news we were expecting:

? TRADE ?

The #Vikings have acquired C Brett Jones (@brettjones69) from the New York Giants for an undisclosed pick.

The completion of the trade is pending Jones passing a physical. pic.twitter.com/EzQLkT9X2x

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 26, 2018

The Vikings only had to give up a 7th rounder to get him. According to Giants’ sources, he was battling for a starting spot so that price tag is something to take note of.

What does this trade mean for the Vikings? Well, there’s some good and some bad running through my head. First, Elflein isn’t practicing this week so he is getting pretty far away from being the starting center come game 1. On the bright side of that situation, Zimmer said he doesn’t expect Elflein to start the season on the PUP List, which means they expect him to be contributing early enough. If you start the regular season on the PUP, you can’t get off until 6 weeks later.

Once Elflein does come back, it seems unclear as to where exactly Jones will fit in. But, let’s be real… the Vikings need all of the help they can get on the O-line, even when they have everyone healthy. Jones has some versatility. He has started a couple of games at left guard through his career one game last year at left guard. I’d expect him to start at center as long as everything goes according to plan once he is in town, until Elflein returns. After that, your guess is as good as mine.

Here are a few things I’ve found early on Mr. Jones.

– He played in Canada in 2013 and 2014, winning all sorts of honors, including an all-star team and the best offensive lineman in the CFL in 2014.

– He started 13 games last year for the Giants

– He’s only 27 years old and from Canada.

Here are some other details and video from Nick Olson on Twitter. He’s a great follow for those who don’t already:

Brett Jones was Pro Football Focus’ 17th-ranked center in 2017. He ranked 5th in pass protection among starting centers but 21st in run blocking. He ranked 4th in pass blocking efficiency and third in pressures allowed among starting centers.

— Nick Olson (@NicholasJOlson) August 26, 2018

Here’s a quick thread on the #Vikings newest offensive lineman, Brett Jones.

The first thing that pops off Jones’ tape is his power. Here he is one-on-one against Aaron Donald’s bull rush, and Jones holds up pretty well against the DPOY. pic.twitter.com/dcYlxl8aU4

— Nick Olson (@NicholasJOlson) August 26, 2018