Important players to repair the chronic weakness of the Vikings

In the aftermath of the play -off exit of the Vikings in Los Angeles, head coach Kevin O’Connell was quickly blamed for one part of the team that he thought was not good enough in the difficult moments against the best teams. It was no surprise for those who follow the Minnesota football that he points to the long -term weakness of the Vikings – the inner offensive line.

Important players to repair the chronic weakness of the Vikings

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had the task of finding the answers to O’Connel’s problem, and he seems to have done it. Minnesota invested heavily in the IOL during the low season and will start with three new players in the middle, the left guard and the right guard.

Although the Vikings have been strong in Tackle, the Iol has long been a source of frustration in Minnesota. Many players have come and gone, with many invested sources, but this year the Vikings have not saved any costs. Paying big money and using a first round pick in an attempt to finally get it right. Meet the men in charge of solving the long -term weakness of the Vikings.

Ryan Kelly

Garrett Bradbury has never realized his first round invoice invoicing. To be seen as a success when you are taken in the middle in the first round, you have to excel and be a player who is worthy of all-pro recognition and voted for several Pro Bowls. As was the case with Ryan Kelly, the 18th general pick for the Indianapolis Colts in 2016, two years before the Vikings took Bradbury in the same position.

Kelly had nine successful seasons in Indianapolis before moving to Minnesota for the 2025 season. At the age of 31 he is at the back of his career, but should give the Vikings solid game in the middle for at least the length of his two-year contract of $ 18 million.

Whether he can keep that longer depends on his shape and fitness. Kelly played only 10 games last season because of the missing of a few games with a neck injury early in the season and then missed five games while he was a knee injury on a injured reserve – he also had a calf release during the season. He came back to play in the last three games of the season, and the Vikings will hope that those injury problems are behind him.

Kelly’s ability to protect the QB is light years for its predecessor, as evidenced by his pass blocking degree of Pro Football Focus From 71.9 plagued by injuries in a season. He only allowed one bag and 11 edition last season. The type of statistics where Vikings fans have dreamed of their center.

Will Fries

Following Kelly on the path from Indianapolis to Minneapolis is Will Fries. The Vikings have spent a great deal to make this happen, $ 88 million on a five -year contract. Onderzaatse waiting game has been a characteristic of the game of the Vikings for far too long, so Adofo-Mensah moved to demonstrably sign the best guard on the market. It has been a story of patience and development for Fries, who came as a seventh round pick with the Colts with the Colts in 2021.

After he had started life in the NFL as a depth player, Fries got his chance in his second season when he was named the starting right guard in week 10 in week 10, and held his place for the rest of the season. He remained in place all season 2023. With playing time behind him, Fries started the 2024 season, with a general figure of 86.9 from Pff to five games.

Then the tragedy struck when he suffered a broken straight tibia in week 5 and was placed on an injured reserve. Minnesota saw enough to be willing to pay the big money for a man who is solid in pass protection, but also a mauler when it comes to running, something the Vikings missed last season.

Donovan Jackson

People have their opinion about positional value in the first round of the design, but Minnesota went for the best player available and a position they needed to upgrade their starter. Donovan Jackson should use Blake Brandel this season at Left Guard, where Brandel returns to a skilled Swingman who can cover both inside and outside.

Opinions varied on Jackson, with many who saw him as the best pure guard in the design class 2025, but analysts preferred interior rulers with versatility, such as Gray Zabel from North Dakota.

Zabel and Tyler Booker were already gone when the Vikings were on the clock. They decided against a trade back that was possible and took their husbands with them. If Jackson proves the missing piece that the Vikings gives one of the best O lines in the NFL, nobody will complain. He has the family tree, which was a national champion at the state of Ohio last year, and was named a first team All-American in a season in which he had to go to the left due to an injury to the starter of the Buckeyes.

Jackson has all the tools to be the left -wing guard of the Vikings, but there is a need for good coaching to develop him into the very best he can be.