More Minnesota Vikings Offensive Line Juggling

This is getting ridiculous.

The Minnesota Vikings are playing the Cleveland Browns in London on Sunday. It’s the fifth game of the season. After their Week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin, the Browns game is also the Vikings second consecutive game on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. From afar, the Vikings have had to do some juggling of their offensive line. Far too much juggling. 

Against the Steelers, the Vikings offensive line was as close to the projected starting five as it’s been all season. Only first-round left guard Donovan Jackson was missing. He had wrist surgery earlier in the week and is expected to be out until after the team’s Week 6 bye. Solid and experienced, Blake Brandel filled in for Jackson at left guard. The offensive line was so close to being whole and the one dreamed about for months. It was going to be beautiful. Instead of beautiful, right tackle Brian O’Neill suffered a sprained MCL while blocking for the field goal that capped the first possession. Center Ryan Kelly exited at halftime with a concussion, his second of the season. The Vikings started the Steelers game so, so close to their ideal offensive line. They finished the game with only two of their projected starters on the field, left tackle Christian Darrisaw and right guard Will Fries. 

I’m not sure when it happened. Sometime between the time that he replaced Ryan Kelly in the Steelers game and the initial practice of the week, center Michael Jurgens suffered a hamstring injury. He’s yet to practice this week. With each missed practice, it’s looking less likely that he’ll be available for Sunday’s game against the Browns. Practices this week in preparation for Sunday’s regular season game has looked like a July training camp practice when it comes to the center position. It’s a “what-have-we-got” deal as Blake Brandel, Joe Huber, Henry Byrd, and Vershon Lee have been seen taking center snaps. When I first heard that Jurgens might miss the game, I imagined undrafted free agent Vershon Lee stepping up from the practice squad. It was knee-jerk thought simply because I was impressed with his play in a couple preseason games. Those games were fringe roster players vs. fringe roster players. An undrafted rookie jumping from the practice squad to starting against a talented Browns defensive line is a tough deal. I imagine that Brandel is the next man up at center. He’s a solid, versatile offensive lineman. A sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, he came to the Vikings as a tackle. He was a swing-tackle his first three seasons and was effective in five starts. He was the starting left guard last season. If the Vikings hadn’t selected Donovan Jackson in the first round, Brandel would’ve been the starting left guard this season. I always hate seeing teams messing with two positions on the offensive line to replace one. It’s never made sense to me but I’m a fan on a couch. What do I know? Of the candidates for the Vikings center position, Brandel is the best and most experienced offensive lineman. He has taken center snaps in practice over the years but he has no game experience at the position. If Brandel is the choice at center, undrafted rookie Joe Huber is expected to start at left guard against the Browns. That would give the Vikings the following offensive line.

LT Christian Darrisaw

LG Joe Huber

  C Blake Brandel 

RG Will Fries

RT Justin Skule

At least Christian Darrisaw is out there. Teams often try to put their five best offensive linemen on the field together with little regard to the positions they’ve played. That sort of tinkering is usually done in training camp. Due to injuries, the Vikings are being forced to do it in preparation for a Week 5 game. Injuries are an unfortunate but inevitable aspect of football. Even the most pessimistic among us wouldn’t have predicted a run of injuries that would force the Vikings to field a third-string left guard, a third-string center, and a second-string right tackle in a Week 5 game. The team is real close to having tight end Josh Oliver on the ready for offensive line snaps. With all that in mind, the above five offensive linemen are the five best offensive linemen currently available to the Vikings. For that reason, I do get the decision to mess with two positions to replace one. 

Another Minnesota Vikings Offensive Line

The Minnesota Vikings focused on improving the offensive line this offseason. Finally. It should’ve been the focus about a decade ago and remained a focus ever since. That was then. This is now and the Vikings finally improved the talent on the offensive line rather than dabbling at improvements. After signing center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries in free agency and selecting guard Donovan Jackson in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, that focus was clearly more than just a nice idea. With excellent tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill already in place, the Vikings had the players in place for an outstanding offensive line. 

LT Christian Darrisaw

LG Donovan Jackson

  C Ryan Kelly

RG Will Fries

RT Brian O’Neill

Due to the easing of Christian Darrisaw onto the field after last season’s knee injury and various injuries to three of the other linemen, that dreamy offensive line has played zero snaps together. With high hopes entering the season, it’s frustrating for the Vikings to be sitting at 2-2 through four weeks. A big reason for the frustrating start has been the injuries that have consistently jumbled the offensive line. Not only have the projected starters not played a snap together, the Vikings will be starting their fourth different group of the season when they face the Cleveland Browns in London on Sunday. 

Week 1

LT Justin Skule

LG Donovan Jackson

  C Ryan Kelly

RG Will Fries

RT Brian O’Neill

Christian Darrisaw was way ahead of schedule in his rehab from the knee injury that ended his 2024 season in October. There were hopes that he’d be ready for Week 1. The Vikings took no chances and kept Darrisaw off the field in Week 1. Week 2 as well. 

Week 2

LT Justin Skule

LG Donovan Jackson

  C Ryan Kelly

RG Will Fries

RT Brian O’Neill

The Week 2 game against the Atlanta Falcons was the start of the injuries that have consistently jumbled the offensive line since. Ryan Kelly and Justin Skule left this game with concussions.  Each would miss Week 3. 

Week 3

LT Christian Darrisaw

LG Donovan Jackson

  C Michael Jurgens

RG Will Fries

RT Brian O’Neill

At least Christian Darrisaw returned to the field. With the big guy back, it’s no surprise that the Week 3 game against the Cincinnati Bengals was the best the offensive line, and offense, has looked all season. It helps that the defense scored two touchdowns and forced five turnovers. It was also nice that the offensive line left the game with no injuries. Well, that’s not quite true. It turns out Donovan Jackson injured his wrist against the Falcons. It was determined that he wouldn’t further injure the wrist if he played against the Bengals but he’d need surgery soon after. He had that surgery the day after the game. That surgery will keep him out through the Week 6 bye. So, no Jackson for the overseas games in Weeks 4 and 5. 

Week 4

LT Christian Darrisaw

LG Blake Brandel

  C Ryan Kelly

RG Will Fries

RT Brian O’Neill

Donovan Jackson’s wrist surgery kept Week 4 from being the debut of the “Dreamy 5.” Ryan Kelly returned from his Week 2 concussion. Blake Brandel is a solid replacement for Jackson. This group had the potential to build on the improved offensive line play of Week 3. Unfortunately, this group wasn’t on the field long. Group leader and team stalwart Brian O’Neill suffered a knee injury while blocking for the field goal that capped the Vikings first possession. Ryan Kelly left the game at halftime with another concussion. His concussion situation has become the team’s most concerning injury situation. While this promising group started the game, Christian Darrisaw and Will Fries were the only projected starters that finished it. And, that will be case against the Browns on Sunday. As of now, it looks like the Vikings will be trotting out these five offensive onto the Tottenham Hotspur turf.

Week 5

LT Christian Darrisaw

LG Blake Brandel

  C Michael Jurgens

RG Will Fries

RT Justin Skule

At least Christian Darrisaw and Will Fries are out there. Unfortunately, the Browns have one of the best defensive fronts in the league. To be honest, this offensive line has far more promise than many of the offensive lines the Vikings have forced on the field over the past decade-plus. That isn’t really a good thing. It’s more of a coping thing. Darrisaw and Fries are strong players. Blake Brandel is solid. Ryan Kelly’s unfortunate concussions have given Michael Jurgens some needed experience. He’s shown some promise. I’m probably less worried about him than the right tackle situation. Justin Skule had some rough moments when he was filling in for Darrisaw at left tackle in Weeks 1 and 2. Hopefully Skule has a better time on the right side. He’s a solid swing tackle and I believe that he’s better than he showed early in the season. At least, that’s the hope. 

If there’s good news to the Vikings offensive line situation, it’s that Donovan Jackson and Brian O’Neill could be back as soon as the team returns from their Week 6 bye. They are needed as the Vikings hit the roughest part of their schedule upon that return. As for Ryan Kelly, his well-being moving forward is far more important than any football game.