Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
We interrupt the ongoing quarterback talking points this Minnesota Vikings offseason, to bring you breaking news on the offensive line, where Rob Brzezinski and Kevin O’Connell scored a pretty significant victory on Friday.
Five days after signing restricted free agent Ryan Van Demark to an offer sheet worth a reported one year, $4.2 million, the Buffalo Bills decided not to match, meaning the 28-year-old (as of March 22) offensive tackle is now a Viking.
The Bills have chosen not to match the Vikings’ one-year, $4.2 million fully guaranteed offer to OL Ryan Van Demark, a source confirmed. Buffalo elects to let the swing tackle head to Minnesota. The Bills will get nothing in return. NFL Network first reported.
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) March 20, 2026
What are Minnesota Vikings getting in Ryan Van Demark?
Last season, Van Demark started four games last season for the Bills, a career high just like his 312 offensive snaps. According to PFF, 218 of those 2025 snaps came as Buffalo’s right tackle.
In his third year, the University of Connecticut alum played 199 snaps. As a rookie in 2023, he played just 46. Unless the Vikings struggle with injury again in 2026, with either Christian Darrisaw or Brian O’Neill, it’s unlikely he’ll get anywhere near those snap counts in Minnesota.
With his career-high number of reps in 2025, Van Demark posted a 74.4 PFF grade (74.9 RBLK, 65.6 PBLK). During his 147 pass block attempts last season, per PFF, he allowed 9 pressures, 6 hurries and 2 sacks (96.1 efficiency rating).
The Vikings have signed Bills RFA OT Ryan Van Demark to a reported one-year fully-guaranteed $4.2 million offer sheet that Buffalo now has 5 days to match. pic.twitter.com/hNMagolntT
— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) March 18, 2026
In the short-term, what this new addition does for the Minnesota Vikings is open up more flexibility in the 2026 NFL Draft. Prior to signing Ryan Van Demark, offensive tackle was one spot that would have made a ton of sense in the early rounds next month.
But now, OT looks like one of the deeper spots on the roster. Unless someone uber-talented falls to them unexpectedly, I wouldn’t expect Kevin O’Connell and Rob Brzezinski to mess with OL early, unless it’s a center.
Mentioned in this article: Ryan Van Demark
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