Strib: New man in the middle, why the Vikings are betting on Blake Brandel at center

Is it me or do things seem to be aligning and locking into place for a really good year potentially? For me, more than normal August optimism.

StickierBuns wrote:

Is it me or do things seem to be aligning and locking into place for a really good year potentially? For me, more than normal August optimism.

There’s something to that. I’ve got a friend of 25+ years who normally is very stoic in his team outlook that has showed some positivity.

StickierBuns wrote:

Is it me or do things seem to be aligning and locking into place for a really good year potentially? For me, more than normal August optimism.

We all hope that Murray can be that HOF player that will guarantee us a Lombardi this year. Better happen.

Canthony wrote:

We all hope that Murray can be that HOF player that will guarantee us a Lombardi this year. Better happen.

I don't think it'll take that kind of performance, but sure....what the hell, let's do that too. 😄😉

The older I get the less I am "excited". Not because the team looks good or bad, but more so because so many times they bring you to the precipice of NFL ecstasy only to drop the anvil on your head. I feel like I am the Coyote chasing the Road Runner...

Although some how, some way, they always seem to find new ways to get me 100% emotionally invested so when they do fall over, the dog and I can spend days staring out the window wondering how we ended up here. Now I have pulled my wife in on this...poor girl.

“He worked his way onto the team, worked his way into having a role, worked his way into being a starter,” right tackle Brian O’Neill said. “Young offensive linemen need to look at Blake like ... that’s the way you should do it. I’m really hopeful and confident he has a great year and he can take this thing by the horns.”

When coordinator Brian Flores’ defense threw some curveballs early in camp, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said Brandel didn’t blink.

“He’s right on top of it, making the calls,” Phillips said. “It feels like there’s a comfort level and technique level he’s got a little more down from learning some things last year.”

After Kelly retired this offseason, following three concussions in eight starts, the team turned to Brandel again. Quarterbacks Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy have lined up behind Brandel when taking their first-team reps in camp.

But snapping the ball? There have been early issues.

During the first two practices, some errant shotgun snaps hit the turf in full-team drills. Murray and McCarthy have saved other wayward hikes.

“I just need to be more consistent,” Brandel said, “and I’m going to be. Ball security is our No. 1 priority as an offense and as a team.”

Brandel, 29, has the experience level of a much younger player at center, but his knowledge of the Vikings offense and opposing defenses remains that of a veteran.

He tried to speed train his muscle memory by snapping to his wife, Natalie, in the backyard this offseason whenever their son napped. Brandel had her hold the football in place so he could assess the accuracy.

“If you can catch it, the quarterback can,” Brandel said. “Fine-tuning those details by any means.”

The Vikings have made heavy investments in the offensive line, including right tackle Brian O’Neill’s recent four-year, $96 million extension. While the team considered upgrading in free agency and the NFL Draft, options were particularly thin this offseason.

One clearcut star was available: ex-Ravens and Hawkeyes center Tyler Linderbaum, who signed for a record $27 million annually with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Vikings then prioritized drafting defenders Caleb Banks and Jake Golday before the NFL Draft’s top centers -- Florida’s Jake Slaughter and Iowa’s Logan Jones -- went at the end of the second round. Minnesota ultimately took center Gavin Gerhardt in the seventh round (235th overall).

The Vikings also had reasons not to overreach for help.

Brandel is on the roster at a strong value -- his $3.5 million salary is tied for 24th among NFL centers this season, per OverTheCap.com -- and he knows coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense.

Coaches are already training a new potential starting quarterback in Murray, and the complexities of O’Connell’s offense compound the benefits of continuity at center.

Kelly, a four-time Pro Bowler who adjusted to many quarterbacks and playbooks during his nine seasons in Indianapolis, initially struggled to learn the Vikings’ system. He recalled sitting with then-offensive line coach Chris Kuper shortly after signing his two-year, $18 million contract in Minnesota.

“He’s trying to teach me the offense and I’m like, ‘Dude, I don’t — maybe I’m not smart enough to understand the Vikings offense,’” Kelly recalled. “I had a great grasp on concepts and there’s only so much you can do with 11 guys, right? But maybe I don’t. ... [Kuper] was just like cracking up because he’s like, ‘Dude, it took me forever the first time I got here.”

“It took me a while to figure it out,” Kelly added. “Those play calls are pretty lengthy and they come in from Kevin, so I got to give a lot of credit and grace to the QBs.”

Kelly said a couple factors shouldn’t be overlooked: Brandel’s knowledge of the offense from all five offensive line positions and his reputation as a “glue guy” -- a jovial, galvanizing personality known to crack jokes during the many times tension needs levity.

“Beyond knowing the offense and being able to articulate that to the quarterback,” Kelly said, “it’s the guys around you knowing, ‘Blake Brandel knows exactly what he’s doing and he saw that pressure before I saw it.’ It gives everybody confidence.”

The processing required by everyone on offense, and the confusion that can arise when hiccups occur, requires a steady voice.

“At times you got both guards freaking out,” Kelly said, “both tackles freaking out. It’s good to have a guy in the center that’s even keeled, can connect with everybody and keep the train going. I think it’s perfect for him.”

Brandel is keeping the focus on his own game in training camp. He’s refining his shotgun snaps, studying Flores’ shapeshifting defenses and trying to help Murray and McCarthy as much as possible.

“That’s what makes an OK football player to a good one are those small details,” Brandel said. “Finding those and figuring out what I need to work in this training camp is going to be huge.”

StickierBuns wrote:

Is it me or do things seem to be aligning and locking into place for a really good year potentially? For me, more than normal August optimism.

😝

Of course. But I always enjoy the journey every year. And my fan biological clock is ticking!

I like Brandel. A calm giant of a man, Oregon kid, who has developed real value across the entire OL. I've become a big fan of this guy and wish him all the success this season.