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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 04: Head coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings identified the trenches as weak spots on both sides of the football heading into last year, and the work to fortify the roster at the point of attack continues this offseason.
Minnesota cleared considerable salary cap space by parting ways with defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave after one season from each in 2025, but got considerably less experienced on the interior of the defensive line in the process. On offense, the team lost center Ryan Kelly to retirement this offseason following multiple concussions last year.
Kelly was one of three new additions to the interior of the O-line last spring, along with guards Will Fries and rookie/first-round pick Donovan Jackson. Fries and Jackson are back, but the center position remains a crucial role the Vikings must fill.
There is a chance, however, that Minnesota already has the player it needs on the roster in Blake Brandel. Brandel has played tackle and guard, including lining up at both spots last year. However, he tallied 363 snaps at center in 2025, and head coach Kevin O’Connell indicated on Tuesday, March 31 that the team intends to keep the six-year veteran at that position in 2026.
“We want to have him, more than likely, at that center spot and build on some things that he did last year,” O’Connell said, per Adam Patrick of FanSided.
Blake Brandel Offers Vikings Inexpensive Solution at Center
GettyOffensive lineman Blake Brandel of the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota signed Kelly to a two-year contract ahead of last season, indicating he was the plan at center in 2026 as well. But due to his injuries and retirement, Brandel stepped in and now makes perhaps the most sense at the position for the short-term future.
Brandel ranked 32nd out of 40 centers who saw enough snaps to qualify last season, per Pro Football Focus. But he should theoretically be able to get better after playing center for the first time as a 28-year-old pro.
Minnesota also faces an offseason with limited salary cap space, even after presumed starting quarterback Kyler Murray fell into the team’s lap on a $1.3 million veterans league minimum salary, arguably the best talent-to-value-to-need signing in the entire league this spring.
Of course, the Vikings must protect their new QB, and doing so by spending on the offensive line is a worthy investment. But the team has two solid guards and two good tackles in Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw, assuming the latter can stay healthy. Thus, finding an inexpensive solution at center is a borderline necessity given Minnesota’s other needs.
Vikings Have Limited Resources to Address Several Roster Needs
GettyMinnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith.
The Vikings need more top-end talent and depth in the defensive tackle room. They will probably hunt for a starting-caliber cornerback in either free agency or the draft, and the majority of mocks have Minnesota selecting a safety with the No. 18 pick in Round 1 as a long-term replacement for Harrison Smith, whether he retires this offseason or not.
Meanwhile, the center market exploded across the league in 2026, with Tyler Linderbaum leading the way after he signed an unprecedented contract valued at $27 million annually with the Las Vegas Raiders. This offseason is arguably the worst in recent history to need a center and attempt to spend significantly on one in free agency.
That said, the position may be one the Vikings look to address later in the draft, as Brandel is under contract for just one more season and is more likely to be an average or below-average performer at that spot in 2026 than to excel there.
Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
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