The Minnesota Vikings are anticipated to trot out their 14th different Week 1 starting guard in the past 10 years, christening Blake Brandel as a starter early this offseason in the perennial search at the position— but that move has left questions regarding former starting guard Dalton Risner.
Star Tribune beat reporter Andrew Krammer addressed the Vikings’ lackluster interior offensive line on a May 22 episode of the “Access Vikings” podcast, stating that the decision to lean toward Brandel entering training camp was a financial decision.
“The unspoken part is this front office is looking to pinch some pennies and they’re clearly not spending on the interior [offensive] line,” Krammer said, pointing out to the spendthrift investment of signing Brandel, who has started five games in three years, to a three-year, $9.5 million deal this offseason.
The Vikings were not thrilled with the idea of signing Risner three weeks into the 2023 season after letting him leave without a contract following his visit during training camp. However, their hopes for Ed Ingram and Ezra Cleveland did not materialize, as Risner was signed and eventually won the job over Cleveland, who was sent to the Jacksonville Jaguars at the trade deadline.
Krammer did not count out that the Vikings could bring back Risner at some point if Brandel does not seize the starting spot or if there are injuries.
“The Vikings clearly didn’t love what they had last year even in the guys they were rotating, but what shocks me is that Brandel was one of the guys that was rotating before they signed Risner,” Krammer said on a May 8 episode of the “Access Vikings” podcast. “What changed? Claerly they expect him to make some leap.”
Vikings Choose Blake Brandel Over Dalton Risner for 1 Major Reason
Risner remains a free agent and has been vocal about wanting a starting guard salary because he has proven to be one. Risner has started 62 games in his career and is respectable in pass protection, earning the 23rd-best pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF).
While fans may not be thrilled with the lack of investment at guard, Brandel is the guy until he loses the job.
Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips built up Brandel during the first week of organized team activities, saying Brandel has “earned the opportunity” and touted his size and development.
“I’m really excited about Blake. I feel like he gets bigger every time I see him. He’s just a massive man on the inside, but he’s in great shape and he’s always been very coachable. You talk about technique, fundamentals, footwork, hand placement, all the things that are critical for the O-line, you know one false step for an O-lineman can be a catastrophe,” Phillips said in a May 21 news conference, per Daily Norseman. “It’s been very encouraging so far with him stepping in for that starting spot on the left there. I think it will only grow from there, the more experience and the more reps he gets. He’s been a guy that any time he’s been put in a game, at several positions, has come through for us. We haven’t forgotten that and we believe that he’s earned this opportunity.”
A 2020 sixth-round pick, Brandel stepped in for Christian Darrisaw for the majority of five games during the 2022 season. He was thrust into the Vikings’ spectacular 33-30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in his first game and fended off a vaunted Bills pass rush that featured Von Miller.
The idea of moving Brandel inside is to give the Vikings more oomph in the running game after they struggled in short-yardage situations last year.
As good as a pass-blocker as Risner was, he had the 67th-best run-blocking grade from PFF among qualifying guards in the league, and the Vikings hope to lean more on the running game this season.
NFL Insider Sniffed Out Vikings’ O-Line Plans Ahead of Regime Change
While the Vikings’ vacancy of staple guard play goes back over a decade, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah got a sense that the new regime wouldn’t be changing that trend any time soon back when the Vikings hired Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
“I’ve talked to some buddies around the league about this, kind of the proliferation of coaches from the [Mike and Kyle] Shanahan and [Sean] McVay tree, and … when you look at these Super Bowl-winning teams over the past five years, only three of those 25 offensive linemen were home-grown, first-round picks,” Jeremiah said, Vikings.com. “You don’t have to have the most talented offensive line in the league to be successful because [with] all [those] stretch [plays], you’re moving the pocket, there’s the boot stuff off of that, there’s getting the ball out of your hands quick.
“You’re not getting yourself in too many unfavorable situations down-and-distance wise because you’re throwing the ball on early downs,” Jeremiah continued. “That whole system that they’re bringing in there – and [the Vikings have] used it somewhat previously, but I think they’ll take it to the next level – it’s not going to be as offensive-line dependent as maybe some other teams.”
The Vikings may have more flexibility in moving the pocket with a more mobile pocket passer in the future, however, dominant interior defensive linemen continue to be a menace to Minnesota.
