What to do at Center
With 2 concussions in three weeks and 4 since 2023, we may have a problem with Ryan Kelly. Will he miss the average 9 days in the protocol and come back with a guardian cap? Or will he go on IR to clear his head and miss 4 games? Or will the 32-year-old decide enough's enough and retire?
I have no clue. But I do know that while Skule and Brandel have been serviceable, Michael Jurgens has not. And this could present a big problem for our young QB when he returns after the bye.
Unless Kelly retires, I think we'll just keep after it with Jurgens while he's out. But if he does retire, the Vikings may look to trade for a veteran, ala Cam Robinson last year.
Erik McCoy in New Orleans is a name I see pop up every now and then. He just turned 28, he made the Pro Bowl in each of his last two seasons, and the Saints are winless and have been trying to shed salary since...hell since Brees retired. Looks like there's a shit-ton of dead cap involved though.
Its a really big deal imo whats happened with Kelly (or continues to happen). What he took off JJM's mental plate was huge on top of physical protection.
I suspect he'll go to IR. I would put him on it now to be honest. Whether he comes back is anyones guess.
McCoy would be awesome, but as you say the cap is an issue - as is learning the playbook in the middle of the season.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
I think you stay the course and go into the offseason with a new C at the top of your list, we can likely still target IOL early in the coming draft as we did this past year and be way better for it then sending draft picks for a veteran and further complicating our cap situation for next year.
at some point we need to put it on KAM to learn to draft in order to be able to keep the talent he may find instead of always relying on FA and veteran trades.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
Bunsen82 wrote:
He shouldn't have played. Its beyond stupid why they don't take 2 weeks off for a concussion. What are we doing.
Yup, with the bye week it would have been ideal...
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Jurgens is the backup and I guess Brandel is 3rd. Need to roll with the draft pick. He hasn’t looked horrible to me, but I haven’t charted his snaps or anything like that.
If he is bad then need to put brandel in. I wouldn’t trade for a C when we have a draft pick 2nd year player we are trying to develop
ncvike wrote:
Jurgens has a hamstring issue and I can't pretend to believe we'll be ok with Brandel as center. Backup to Brandel would be our long snapper. Ooof
If Jurgens is hurt we probably do need to make a move. Jeez
I'm tired of having to trade to fill deficiencies or having to sign veterans in free agency to fill holes that the GM couldn't in the draft. How about we just start hitting on some f'n draft picks!? This center issue is a prime example of Kwesi's failures as a GM. I'm sorry, I know there's some big Kwesi fans here...but his draft shortcomings have bit this team in the ass on numerous occasions. You can't keep eating cap filling holes with older vets in free agency. It's not a winning formula and never has been
Someone suggested Evan Neal. He would be a Cam Robinson kind of pick up but might be had for a 7th?
Brandel played right tackle freshman and sophomore year and then left tackle in high school as a junior and senior.
At Oregon State he redshirted and started at right tackle as a freshman, then played 3 years at left tackle.
Vikings draft him as a tackle in 2021
I'm 2023 Vikings move him to left guard. In 2024 he played every Vikingoffensive snap as left guard.
He's 6"7 325lbs that's the wrong body type to play center
Good thing the Browns don't have any pass rushers. :P And if KOC hasn't installed a bunch of chip-blockers and quick-hitters to mitigate the Myles Garrett threat, he deserves what he gets.
I might change my mind two minutes into this thing, but I'm actually looking forward to seeing Joe Huber.
MaroonBells wrote:
Good thing the Browns don't have any pass rushers. :P And if KOC hasn't installed a bunch of chip-blockers and quick-hitters to mitigate the Myles Garrett threat, he deserves what he gets.I might change my mind two minutes into this thing, but I'm actually looking forward to seeing Joe Huber.
The Steelers gave KOC a blueprint last week on how to operate an effective offense behind a mediocre OL. The question is was KOC paying attention.
Knucklehead wrote:
The Steelers gave KOC a blueprint last week on how to operate an effective offense behind a mediocre OL. The question is was KOC paying attention.
Yep, and I hope he was paying attention. My question is what happens if Brandel now gets hurt? Vikings have a couple players who can play center on the practice squad in Vershon Lee and Henry Byrd. But I haven't heard that they've even been activated yet. And if the team thinks their LG who's never snapped a ball in a game at any level is their best option at center, I can't imagine how raw and unready these players must be.
Knucklehead wrote:
The Steelers gave KOC a blueprint last week on how to operate an effective offense behind a mediocre OL. The question is was KOC paying attention.
So did the 49ers last night who went into LA and found a any to win with a backup QB and missing their top three receivers, four if you count Kittle. That's gameplanning to win. No way the Vikings win that game under similar circumstances.
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Kevin O’Connell on UDFA Joe Huber:
“Joe was one of those guys that probably, I don’t always tell you guys this, he probably made the team a heck of a lot earlier than the cutdown day.”
Huber will start at LG for the #Vikings on Sunday.
Google: Joe Huber had an outstanding preseason in 2025 for the Minnesota Vikings, earning a PFF (Pro Football Focus) grade of 94.7 after the first game, the highest of any rookie offensive lineman that week. He particularly excelled as a run-blocker, finishing the preseason as a top-ranked run-blocker among all linemen and was considered the best run-blocker in the entire 2025 rookie class. His strong play, which included a high volume of pass-blocking snaps without allowing pressure, earned him a spot on the Vikings' 53-man roster.
Man, if I'm the Vikings, I start teaching Huber the center position yesterday.
Huber looks like he can play, not that worried about inserting him in the lineup. Always take a shot on a Badger OL guy. They tend to stick around in the NFL.
I'm most worried about Skule at RT... hopefully he's better there than he was at LT.
MAD GAINZ wrote:
Huber looks like he can play, not that worried about inserting him in the lineup. Always take a shot on a Badger OL guy. They tend to stick around in the NFL.I'm most worried about Skule at RT... hopefully he's better there than he was at LT.
He looked faster at RT when he chases the guy he was supposed to have blocked before he hits the QB...so there's that.
supafreak84 wrote:
So did the 49ers last night who went into LA and found a any to win with a backup QB and missing their top three receivers, four if you count Kittle. That's gameplanning to win. No way the Vikings win that game under similar circumstances.
^^^
Sadly I can't argue that with a straight face.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
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