The Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line didn’t ship as wanted in a 34-28 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and modifications could possibly be coming.
“We’ll get with [general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah] and his workers,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell stated after the game regarding a potential OL addition.
“Oli [Udoh] goes to be out for some time which is extremely unlucky with the quantity of reps that he had in coaching camp. [Center] Garrett’s [Bradbury] progressing. [Center] Austin [Schlottman] stepped in there tonight. After which hopefully [left tackle] Christian [Darrisaw] was shut sufficient that perhaps we will venture we now have him,” O’Connell continued.
Whether or not or not the Vikings will look exterior the constructing for assist at left sort out or middle stays to be seen. The free agent market seems fairly bleak at present. Gamers like left sort out Eric Fisher, middle Ben Jones, and middle Billy Value are on the market, however one wonders if the Vikings have curiosity.
After all, plenty of Vikings followers will likely be considering of Dalton Risner since he beforehand met with the group. Extra not too long ago, the o-lineman has even urged he’d be willing to join the Vikings.
“I believe we’re at all times methods to solidify not solely sure place teams however our complete soccer group,” O’Connell stated. “If there’s methods we will do this to competitively assault this factor we’ll check out it. However I do have plenty of confidence in our guys however clearly we’ve acquired to do one thing a bit bit otherwise and actually deal with easy methods to run the soccer higher to assist our go recreation and the way we’re going about shifting it.”
Kevin O’Connell and The Vikings Offensive Line
Accidents apart, Minnesota may use an improve (or two) throughout the board on the offensive line. The Vikings rank 14th in go blocking and twenty third in run blocking, based on Pro Football Focus grades.
Excluding sort out Brian O’Neill, everybody on the Vikings offensive line graded at 65.5 or decrease via PFF’s grading system. O’Neill graded at 86.2 via two video games.
The drop-off begins with backup sort out David Quessenberry, who graded at 65.5 in simply 19 offensive snaps in opposition to the Eagles in Week 2. Solely Darrisaw, 65.4, and guard Ezra Cleveland, 63.7, graded above 60 amongst starters within the first two weeks of the season.
Minnesota has wage cap house to work with — more than $12 million — to make upgrades earlier than Week 3.
Vikings Should Improve Operating Recreation
Whereas quarterback Kirk Cousins has slung it everywhere in the subject for 708 yards and 6 touchdowns, the operating recreation has turned dormant, which partially falls on the offensive line. The Vikings have 26 speeding makes an attempt for 69 yards, a 2.7 yards per carry common, in two video games, which is able to doubtless go away them on the backside of the league after Week 2.
“To me, we’ve acquired to do a greater job. We’ve acquired to do a greater job of teaching it. It’s on me. We’ve acquired to return to work and discover methods to run the soccer. No matter personnel groupings we really feel like provides us a bonus,” O’Connell stated.
“We’ve acquired to get extra connectedness up entrance. We’ve acquired to have the ability to assault sure fronts when seems current themselves, and simply proceed to hunt to be environment friendly as a result of it’s not an excellent method,” O’Connell defined, “particularly once you’re placing the ball on the bottom, however it’s not an excellent method to play like that when, as assured as I’m in our go recreation, it’s simply not going to maintain.”
