Well This Sucks!

Dam that's  what I was expecting

Ugh, trying to refrain from thinking, "Here we go again".

It really would have been nice to have made the offensive line more of a priority this offseason.  After all, how many years in a row now has the offensive line been the team's greatest weakness???

Hopefully a  couple  of the good things  we  hear about isora Collins and Edison are  on the mark that they are  serviceable

Not unexpected after I heard he was going for a second opinion. You don't go for a second opinion when the doctor says it'll be a 2 week thing. He's done and might be done forever. So one starting guard down already and the first preseason game hasn't even started for the team yet. Fuck me. It sucks as they'll have to stick with someone currently on the roster and then it'll be super weak behind that guy. 

Unreal. If Zimmer didn't have bad luck, he'd have no luck at all. 

Yeah, getting a "second opinion" usually means the first one was too upsetting to accept. Frustrating as hell, but no big surprise. Couple thoughts. Sounds like Edison is holding his own, maybe Elf comes back and moves to LG. Aviante Collins has been getting a lot of work at guard, too. I suppose the best solution would be to let Isadora and Compton fight it out and keep everyone else where they belong. The worst part is that Easton doubled as starting guard and backup center. Now that will likely have to be two players. 

There might be another solution somewhere. A secret one. A solution in disguise. A solution whose identity is...oh I don't know...concealed somehow. 

Not surprised by this at all, still sucks to hear though.

not worried yet.  these things happen.  we have Compton and Isisdora to take spot with the other being a primary back up to both OG spots,  Elf will come back at center and I would think that Edison could also play G if needed.  its unfortunate,  but hardly a season killer and there is certainly time to find another player to come in and back up the position.  way to early in the game to be hanging our heads.

While it sure sucks for Easton, it's time for one of these other dudes to step up and be counted.  We've got a ton of OL men in camp (literally and figuratively!) and somebody needs to claim that spot.

Isidora will be the guy next up. We'll see what he's got.

Scratch that: it'll be Compton, just reported.

Sucks for Easton. Hard working dude. But some of you picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

We're talking an undrafted free agent in 2015 that worked his way into a starting role. Pretty much a League Average player with upside.

Can you honestly tell me that between Compton, Collins and Izzy, who all played last year, that this team can't replace him?

This Edison kid has performed so far. Andrews and Gossett could develop quicker than expected.

Jesus, people. It's not like the cupboard is bare and Willie Beavers is the only available option. Nearly every team will enter the season down a Starter. If all Minnesota has to replace is a League Average Guard they're ahead of the curve.

@"FSUVike" said: Sucks for Easton. Hard working dude. But some of you picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

We're talking an undrafted free agent in 2015 that worked his way into a starting role. Pretty much a League Average player with upside.

Can you honestly tell me that between Compton, Collins and Izzy, who all played last year, that this team can't replace him?

This Edison kid has performed so far. Andrews and Gossett could develop quicker than expected.

Jesus, people. It's not like the cupboard is bare and Willie Beavers is the only available option. Nearly every team will enter the season down a Starter. If all Minnesota has to replace is a League Average Guard they're ahead of the curve.

He was the starter. Edison has 'performed well'?? Its freaking training camp. They haven't even played a preseason game yet. Easton has proven himself a starting guard in the league at least.

Act like its not a big deal if you want, but this team had an average line at best and now its down a starter. Already. Elflein has been out how long now? When is he coming back? One month to the day when the team opens against San Fran and Cousins hasn't practiced with a full starting offensive line.....and now he won't. Its a guard position, easiest on the line to replace, I will give you that. But that's all I'll give you. The sky isn't falling but this isn't some kind of good news, either. The player that replaces Easton will be a 'lesser than' plug in.

p.s. the team reached out to Berger and he's staying retired. And its been reported that Compton will replace Easton in the lineup. Probably makes the most sense as Compton has started something like 17 games in his career?

Yep, it does suck, like the OP stated.  But guess what Zim probably says: "Next man up!".
Skol!

And how many games has Easton started? Remember how he was stuck behind an established player in Boone?

Who's to say whomever replaces doesn't turn out to be just as good or better. Happens all over the League.

This team went 13-3 last year with an O-Line that got zero snaps together in pre-season. And rarely had all 5 Starters for an entire game. With a Rookie Center. Who will come back. And lost their RB early on.

As for Kirk, he's used to it. Washington rarely had all 5 Starters in front of him. They used 5 Centers, IIRC. Clemmings played Tackle, for the love of Benjie!

Still had a great season despite the constant O-Line shuffles. And he's got far better weapons here. Good QBs and good teams deal with this every year and are still successful. Hell, the Eagles won it all with their All-Pro LT on I and a 5th rounder taking his place.

@"SFVikingFan" said: Ugh, trying to refrain from thinking, "Here we go again".

It really would have been nice to have made the offensive line more of a priority this offseason.  After all, how many years in a row now has the offensive line been the team's greatest weakness???

Preach it...this choir is all ears.
Dang it!!!

@"FSUVike" said: And how many games has Easton started? Remember how he was stuck behind an established player in Boone?

Who's to say whomever replaces doesn't turn out to be just as good or better. Happens all over the League.

This team went 13-3 last year with an O-Line that got zero snaps together in pre-season. And rarely had all 5 Starters for an entire game. With a Rookie Center. Who will come back. And lost their RB early on.

As for Kirk, he's used to it. Washington rarely had all 5 Starters in front of him. They used 5 Centers, IIRC. Clemmings played Tackle, for the love of Benjie!

Still had a great season despite the constant O-Line shuffles. And he's got far better weapons here. Good QBs and good teams deal with this every year and are still successful. Hell, the Eagles won it all with their All-Pro LT on I and a 5th rounder taking his place.

That O-Line that you mention also got their asses completely handed to them for the last 6 quarters of the season, mostly because injuries popped up (like they always do) and we didn't have the depth to make up for it which necessitated shuffling almost the entire line around during the most important stretch of the season.

I think some of us would just like to see a little more emphasis placed on the O-Line than we've seen for many years now.

@"FSUVike" said: And how many games has Easton started? Remember how he was stuck behind an established player in Boone?

Who's to say whomever replaces doesn't turn out to be just as good or better. Happens all over the League.

This team went 13-3 last year with an O-Line that got zero snaps together in pre-season. And rarely had all 5 Starters for an entire game. With a Rookie Center. Who will come back. And lost their RB early on.

As for Kirk, he's used to it. Washington rarely had all 5 Starters in front of him. They used 5 Centers, IIRC. Clemmings played Tackle, for the love of Benjie!

Still had a great season despite the constant O-Line shuffles. And he's got far better weapons here. Good QBs and good teams deal with this every year and are still successful. Hell, the Eagles won it all with their All-Pro LT on I and a 5th rounder taking his place.

As good or better? No, it doesn't happen all over the league. Its extremely rare a backup player plays as well or better than the starter, especially on the offensive line. And as far as Kirk being used to it, we all know that isn't optimal. Probably not even close. But there's no choice now. As you say, the team can try and gameplan around it, but the schedule is an absolute killer this year. Not many easy outs, if any. 

We can only wait and hope it turns out ok. 

@"SFVikingFan" said: Ugh, trying to refrain from thinking, "Here we go again".

It really would have been nice to have made the offensive line more of a priority this offseason.  After all, how many years in a row now has the offensive line been the team's greatest weakness???

Part of that is parity in a league with a hard cap though isnt it?  If you want star players at WR, RB, QB, CB, S etc etc then there's got to be some give somewhere else

@"SFVikingFan" said:

@"FSUVike" said: And how many games has Easton started? Remember how he was stuck behind an established player in Boone?

Who's to say whomever replaces doesn't turn out to be just as good or better. Happens all over the League.

This team went 13-3 last year with an O-Line that got zero snaps together in pre-season. And rarely had all 5 Starters for an entire game. With a Rookie Center. Who will come back. And lost their RB early on.

As for Kirk, he's used to it. Washington rarely had all 5 Starters in front of him. They used 5 Centers, IIRC. Clemmings played Tackle, for the love of Benjie!

Still had a great season despite the constant O-Line shuffles. And he's got far better weapons here. Good QBs and good teams deal with this every year and are still successful. Hell, the Eagles won it all with their All-Pro LT on I and a 5th rounder taking his place.

That O-Line that you mention also got their asses completely handed to them for the last 6 quarters of the season, mostly because injuries popped up (like they always do) and we didn't have the depth to make up for it which necessitated shuffling almost the entire line around during the most important stretch of the season.

I think some of us would just like to see a little more emphasis placed on the O-Line than we've seen for many years now.

if losing Easton kills our season... lets blow this bitch up because something is seriously flawed.  he is an average OG,  he was improving,  but lets not pretend he was likely headed to the pro bowl.  remember the team chose not to extend him this offseason, obviously they wanted to see more and as thin as the league is at OL it seems that if he were as big of a loss as some are trying to make him be that the team would have put a higher priority on getting him locked down long term.  Nice player,  certainly helps the team when hes out there,  but he isnt day and night better than his replacements.