A big part of the Minnesota Vikings’ plan to make their 2024 starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, as successful as possible, is to surround him with plus players at nearly every position. By putting dudes like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the outside, he’s guaranteed to have open receivers.
The addition of Aaron Jones gives him a legitimate RB1, to take some pressure off him. Meanwhile, RT Brian O’Neill and LT Christian Darrisaw make for one of the best bookend combinations football. In other words, the Vikings’ offense is flush with high-end talent… except in the middle of the offensive line.
Blake Brandel will start at left guard. It’s the first time he has held a starting OL job in the NFL, coming out of training camp. At right guard, the default starter is Ed Ingram. Dalton Risner is still hurt and the Vikings don’t have anyone else who can really challenge the 2022 2nd round pick for playing time.
Minnesota Vikings add iOL competition, including Chuck Filiaga
On Wednesday, though, the Minnesota Vikings signed two more interior offensive linemen, to their training camp roster. The first (and already announced) signing was former Cal center, Matthew Cindric. He originally signed with the Vikings, as an undrafted free agent, back in April.
The Cindric signing came after general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah waived injured CB Najee Thompson and T Jeremy Flax. Then, later in the day, reports surfaced, per MLFootball, that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is also bringing in former Michigan Wolverine, turned Minnesota Gopher, Chuck Filiaga. The 26-year-old was most recently with the San Antonio Brahmans, of the UFL.
Vikings interior offensive line could hold them back in 2024
The lack of stability inside isn’t due to lack of care by the front office or any refusal to address such a glaring weakness. The Minnesota Vikings have just failed to execute, when evaluating and developing talent, there.
In 2019, Rick Spielman drafted Garrett Bradbury with the No. 18 pick. He’s started pretty much every game since, but his effectiveness in that time is highly questionable. Then, in 2022, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah shot his shot in the 2nd round, choosing Ed Igram No 59 overall.
The LSU alum has started just about half of every game since, and the results have not been satisfactory. That’s why the Vikings cemented Blake Brandel at left guard, early in training camp. Then, they moved Dalton Risner (a 2023 in-season signee with five seasons of starting experience) to the right side.
The goal was to provide competition for Ingram, either to push him or usurp him. Unfortunately, that didn’t work either. Risner has been sitting out of training camp practice for weeks now, due to injury. Vikings fans should be well aware, by now, that good offensive linemen do not grow on trees.
So, when your premier talent (1st/2nd/3rd round picks) OL evaluations and development fails you, it can oftentimes set a franchise back. And we are certainly seeing that play out, to some degree, with the 2024 Vikings. We’ll see if Filiagia can move the needle for Kevin O’Connell & Co.
