https://www.vikings.com/news/lunchbreak-the-athletic-quarterback-rankings-blake-brandel

A Seal of Approval at Center

New man in the middle

Blake Brandel has Ryan Kelly's stamp of approval.

Kelly, the four-time Pro Bowl center who signed with Minnesota last offseason to upgrade the pivot position, retired after 10 NFL campaigns and his lone on the Vikings in which he was in concussion protocol multiple times.

Brandel is the 29-year-old former sixth-round pick who has played every OL position – the rare five-tool, er position, lineman – including his first snaps at center in 2025 and is preparing to start there this year.

Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune zoomed in for a closeup of Brandel this week and spoke with Kelly to learn why the team trusts a once developmental player to take over at the most important spot.

In a nutshell, Brandel possesses intelligence, poise and the right personality.

Hinting at the first – and the benefits of continuity at center if Brandel can establish himself – Kelly recalled sitting with former Vikings offensive line coach Chris Kuper and trying to understand Minnesota's system.

"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.' "

Remember, Brandel has played every role on the O-line before. That's a testament to his brainpower.

"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."

Kelly said Brandel is known for cracking jokes during high-pressure moments to calm down his teammates, and noted, "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."