We are nearing the midway point of our offseason roster breakdown. While the quarterback position makes all the headlines and running backs and pass catchers are well known to most casual observers, today we’ll be talking about the most important part of an NFL team: the offensive line.
Pro Football Focus ranked all the offensive lines across the league after the 2019 regular season concluded, and they had the Vikings ranked 19th, which is actually quite high. The reason for that slightly below average ranking was because of the team’s success in the running game. If the changes the team made don’t pan out, the offensive line could be in for a regression. In other words, this could be a rough season to be a Vikings fan.
Projected starters:
Riley Reiff – There were some rumblings that the Vikings could cut Reiff this offseason, but the team decided to hang on to him for at least one more season. Reiff is an average left tackle who was affected by the other linemen near him. If the Vikings can get the left guard spot figured out, there is a decent chance Reiff could improve over what we saw last season.
Pat Elflein – Elflein was the starting left guard last season, but he was undoubtedly the worst part of the offensive line last season. There was hope that a move from center to guard would help the young lineman, but his third year was his worst one yet. This year is Elflein’s last chance to stick on the roster.
Garrett Bradbury – Starting as a rookie last season, Bradbury had his ups and downs. It would have been nice to get more consistency from the position, but there is hope he progresses in year two in the NFL.
Dru Samia – Both guard spots are tricky to project, as the team could end up going a variety of different directions, but for now I have Samia penciled in as the starter at right guard. Samia is entering year two after being drafted by the Vikings in 2019. He was a bit of a project, but if he can get ahold of a starting role, the offensive line will be better because he has a nasty demeanor that is lacking right now.
Brian O’Neill – Unquestionably the team’s best offensive lineman last season, O’Neill played well enough that many question if he might be a better fit at left tackle. For now, we’ll keep him at right tackle where he has played since entering the league.
Austin Cutting – Will once again be the team’s long snapper.
Primary backups
Ezra Cleveland – Drafted by the Vikings this year, many are hoping Cleveland can end up being as good (if not better) than O’Neill. I would imagine he will be a backup as a rookie, especially with virtually no offseason program so far. But the hope is he will claim a starting role sooner rather than later.
Rashod Hill – Another player the Vikings really like, Hill will once again be a swing tackle who can play both the left and right side of the line. He’s nothing flashy, but he’s relatively dependable, so he’s definitely an asset.
Brett Jones – Technically the backup center, Jones can play either of the three interior line positions, which makes him a valuable member to have.
On the roster bubble:
Brady Aiello, Blake Brandel, Aviante Collins, Dakota Dosier, Tyler Higby, Kyle Hinton, Jake Lacina, Oli Udoh. These eight players will be battling it out to make the team this offseason.
Do you think the offensive line got better this offseason? Reach out to me on Twitter and let me know (@JordanWrightNFL) SkoL!
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