The Minnesota Vikings made it a point to revamp their offensive line this offseason. The unit said goodbye to Garrett Bradbury and Ed Ingram and welcomed in big-time free agents Ryan Kelly and Will Fries. The former Colts were expected to be anchors on the interior, alongside first-round pick Donovan Jackson.
On Monday night, the unit played its first meaningful game together, and it was very much a learning experience across the board.
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Donovan Jackson, ironically, missed the majority of the preseason after playing in just the first game, but was the best player in the group. As for Kelly and Fries, they seemed to struggle to contain the Bears‘ interior defensive linemen, especially Gervin Dexter. The former Florida Gator defender turned Chicago Bear proved to be a nuisance for the Vikings’ offense and J.J. McCarthy all night.
They moved on from Bradbury specifically because he struggled in pass protection, but in the first half, the interior offensive line was no better in Week 1 of 2025 than it was in the Wild Card round of last season.
They will have a chance to bounce back as a collective unit in Week 2. The Atlanta Falcons are one of the better defenses emerging early in the NFL season.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Minnesota Vikings new interior offensive line struggles in Week 1