Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings haven’t had much roster turnover this offseason, but they still made some adjustments. Quarterback Kyler Murray, of course, headlines the free agency moves, while the addition of cornerback James Pierre was an under-the-radar addition.
On Friday, the Vikings signed another player, though technically he had already been signed; the Buffalo Bills had the option to match Minnesota’s contract offer for blocker Ryan Van Demark.
According to Tom Pelissero, the Bills didn’t and the restricted free agent is headed to the Twin Cities.
Nov 20, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates with offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark (74) after a touchdown against the Houston Texans in the first quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The NFL.com staff wrote, “OL Ryan Van Demark, a restricted free agent, is joining the Vikings on a one-year, $4.2 million fully guaranteed deal after the Bills elected not to match the offer sheet, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported.”
Van Demark, a 2022 undrafted rookie out of UConn, will be the new swing tackle backup for the Minnesota Vikings. He’s replacing free agent Justin Skule, who served in that role in 2025. Given the injury concerns surrounding starters Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw, the club likely sought an upgrade and believes it found one in Van Demark.
His new deal of $4.2 million is worth roughly $700,000 more than he would’ve gotten with the restricted free agency tender, which is why the Bills didn’t match it. Unlike — for example — a second-round tender, the Bills will not receive any compensation for his departure. Had they used the more expensive second-round tender, they would have gotten a second-rounder from the Vikings. In this case, however, the Vikings are safe.
Aug 10, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark (74) blocks Chicago Bears linebacker Micah Baskerville (47) during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Van Demark, 27 (will turn 28 on Sunday), attended UConn and went undrafted in 2022. Coming out, the Colts signed him as an undrafted rookie but he was waived during final roster cuts. That’s when the Bills added him to their practice squad and he has been with the team ever since.
The tackle has played in 43 career games with 6 starts (4 in 2025). He has 557 offensive snaps under his belt.
Last season, Van Demark earned a strong PFF grade of 74.4, ranking him 25th out of 89 eligible tackles, playing both left and right tackle. That versatility is important for a swing backup tackle, as he’s generally the first lineman off the bench on either side.
Nov 30, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer (12), protected by Justin Skule (67) and Blake Brandel (64), makes a call during the first half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Now that Van Demark can be penciled in as the third offensive tackle, veteran Blake Brandel can safely be used in starting center and backup guard conversations. Walter Rouse, a 2024 pick, drops to fourth in the OT rankings for now.
The Vikings likely hope Van Demark will not get any meaningful snaps in the upcoming season, as they would surely prefer to rely on starters Darrisaw and O’Neill.
Still, having strong depth options is key to sustained success in the NFL and the soon-to-be 28-year-old is a solid backup to have.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.