An MRI performed on Sunday confirmed that Minnesota Vikings right tackle Phil Loadholt has a torn Achilles tendon. Very bad news for a young team with high hopes.
Football is a very cold business when it comes to injuries. As the saying goes, "next man up." Loadholt is barely a thought as the Vikings get the next man ready for the season.
Entering offseason practices and training camp, the Vikings had questions at every position along the offensive line but center.
Left tackle: Matt Kalil has to get better. Much better.
Left guard: Brandon Fusco is moving from right guard after missing nearly all of the 2104 season with a pectoral injury.
Center: John Sullivan has to play better. Everyone can get better.
Right guard: Open competition with Fusco moving to the left side.
Right tackle: Phil Loadholt was also recovering from a pectoral injury.
Offensive line improvement was probably the Vikings greatest area of need coming out of the 2014 season. They were often terrible and they were tasked with protecting a young, inexperienced, and potentially franchise-changing quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater. Last year, the young quarterback often ended plays on the ground. That has to stop and the offensive line has to improve. A return to health will help as injuries to Fusco and then Loadholt forced a constant mixing and matching of players throughout last season. Kalil had consistent knee issues that may/may not have led to a level of play that left a lot to be desired. He had some medical procedures performed early in the offseason to allow time for his recovery. That recovery and hard work led to him coming into camp bigger, stronger, and more healthy than he's ever been in his three-year NFL career. Fusco and Loadholt were healthy for the start of training camp. Fusco's move to left guard solidified the left side. The line appeared set except for the opening at right guard. Rookies T.J. Clemmings and Tyrus Thompson were given early shots at the spot in the offseason. The Vikings opened training camp with veteran Mike Harris at right guard. He's been a tackle for all 17 of his starts in his three-year career. He kept the spot through the just-concluded Mankato days of training camp. Everything appeared set until the second play of Saturday's preseason against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A short running play ended with Loadholt limping off of the field. The fact that he limped off of the field on his own was initially reassuring. It was no longer reassuring when it was reported that he was very upset as he was carted off to the lockerroom a little later. With a suspected torn Achilles. Very bad news. An MRI confirmed the injury on Sunday. Bad news.
Rookie T.J. Clemmings was immediately tapped as the player to replace Loadholt during the game. The hope here is that he keeps the job. He should be more comfortable at right tackle than he was at right guard as it's the position that he played at Pitt. The good news for Clemmings is that he was very good at right tackle at Pitt. So good that many "draft experts" rated him as one of the best at his position coming out of college. He was supposed to be drafted in the first couple of rounds. The Vikings lucked into him when he was still available in the fourth round. He supposedly dropped in the draft due to health concerns over an old foot injury. An injury that has never given him any problems in college. He'd even forgotten that he had it. Clemmings entered Pitt as a defensive lineman. He's only played on the offensive for two years. That makes him a little raw at the position. It also makes him very promising at the position. If he's this good now he should be even better once he knows what he's doing. He has to refine his techniques and learn the nuances of the position. He's a different sort of lineman than Loadholt. Appearances show that. Loadholt is 6'8" 345 lbs. Clemmings is 6'5" 310 lbs. This could change how the Vikings run the ball. Loadholt was a "roadgrader." He could maul the defenders in front of him. Clemmings is quicker, more athletic. He explodes into the defender. He can get to the second level quickly. He also has some of the "nasty" from his days on the defensive line. He has to stay confident. He has the physical talent to do this.
There's nearly a month until the "real" games start. A lot can change for the Vikings. Hopefully, it's not injuries that change them. Right now, the Vikings 2015 Offensive Line might look like this.
LT Matt Kalil
LG Brandon Fusco
C John Sullivan
RG Mike Harris
RT T.J. Clemmings
If Kalil can finally get things figured out, I really like the left side of the line. The right side has so many questions. A raw, inexperienced rookie at tackle and a converted tackle at guard. All five have the talent to do good things. They just have to come together. Play as a unit. Adrian Peterson has always shown that he doesn't need much from a line to do significant damage to a defense. The real task for this line, or any line that the Vikings put on the field, is to keep Teddy Bridgewater safe.
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