And while Reiff isn’t an elite option, he has been at least reliable throughout his career, earning PFF grades above 70.0 in each of the last three seasons for the Vikings. Now, Baker’s point is correct. If there’s one single issue that I’ve talked about more than any other since launching purplePTSD.com back in 2015 it’s … Well, to be fair it’s me but AFTER that it’s the offensive line of the Minnesota Vikings. So, Baker was right. The Vikings did use a second rounder on Ezra Cleveland, who many compared to Brian O’Neill in terms of their physical attributes. But the one issue that has never been fully addressed is the offensive line. He’s succeeding at his natural position with the Kansas City Chiefs. For reference, Dozier has given up 7.7%. The free agency window officially opens up on March 17. Riley Reiff may be gone, which means that the purple could move Cleveland to left tackle. PFF has only given Cleveland two positively graded pass blocking games, two average, and four negatively graded games. According to Pro Football Focus, the Vikings offensive line ranked 29th in the league in 2016. He was part of the aforementioned historically bad guard play in 2018. The Vikings’ main focus this offseason was the improvement of the offensive line. Quarterback. The Vikings Don’t “Ignore” the Offensive Line Vikings Territory. Cleveland played left tackle in college, and hadn’t player guard before, so of course the Vikings decided to plug him in at right guard. Minnesota’s offensive line was ranked 26th by PFF. The outlet gave the Vikings a “POOR” grade for their pick of Bradbury. In reference to this Tweet from @PFF_Vikings: Vikings team pass block grade and rank since 2014: 2014: 72.4 (23rd)2015: 67.9 (28th)2016: 64.7 (30th)2017: 71.9 (17th)2018: 63.6 (27th)2019: 63.0 (27th)2020: 55.5 (29th), — PFF MIN Vikings (@PFF_Vikings) January 14, 2021. Hughes has played in just 24 regular season games over the course of his three-year NFL career. https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/lists/vikings-2020-season-review-offensive-line/, Vikings draft G Alijah Vera-Tucker in analytics-based mock, B/R suggests a quarterback for the Vikings to take in the first round, Vikings expect DT Michael Pierce to be back, Report: Vikings' schedule to be released in May, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Per Pro Football Focus, Cleveland’s game at Green Bay was the fourth-best by a Vikings offensive lineman in the last five seasons (an 82.4 grade). to show that they’d learned from the mistakes of the last squandered window of opportunity and to earn that/those extension(s). Baker is right, the Vikings have spent more high draft picks these last few seasons on offensive linemen. You'll now receive the top Vikings Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. The Vikings need a new left guard. Getty Vikings offensive line coach Rick Dennison's job security has come into question. Minnesota has agreed to terms with DE Stephen Weatherly already. The run blocking looked pretty good at times as well. Overall the Vikings offense grades 3rd best in the league according to PFF, and is also third best in the red zone. They did it because they are allergic to offensive line depth. Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reported that Minnesota is expected to not do so. The Vikings didn’t move Cleveland to right guard for those reasons. They’ve ignored a crucial component in this process… Coaching. Matt Kalil, T.J. Clemmings, Brandon Fusco, Jake Long, and Pat Elflein are just the tip of the o-line horror iceberg. Did you agree with the Bradbury pick at the time? — The Vikings offensive line was, as usual, a focal point in Minnesota during the 2020 season. Since then, his career has been defined by injury-ridden and inconsistent seasons. He seemed like the best pass protector on the interior of the offensive line. Minnesota has a decision to make about giving Hughes the fifth-year option soon. Brett Jones is Providing Short-Term Salvation at Right Guard. Alex Boone was released right when it felt like the line had some promise and depth as well. Once again, it was the interior of the offensive line where most of the issues popped up. Only 2021 will tell. Whether the Vikings decide to keep veteran left tackle Riley Reiff in 2021, the franchise needs to find a … That draft was an opportunity for Zimmer and Spielman (Zimman? Even if they do, recent history suggests they’ll either pick the wrong player or pick a player with potential and immediately force them to play a position they never have on a side of the line they never have while also returning punts and handling human resources. In that draft the Vikings had the most picks of any team in modern league history with 15. Well, to be fair it’s me but AFTER that it’s the offensive line of the Minnesota Vikings. But they have drafted fresh blood. The Vikings have drafted player’s like center Pat Elflein (third rounder in 2017), right guard Brian O’Neill (second rounder in 2018), center Garrett Bradbury (first rounder in 2019), and Cleveland in 2020. I had Matt Birk and Mike Tice on my podcast and Tice described why he felt Birk would be a great center after playing tackle at Harvard. It’s reached a point where I’ve worked with former and current NFL offensive linemen and coaches to get to the bottom of why this line has regressed each season. Bleacher Report Takes a Turn at Rookie QB for the Vikings, The Vikings Don’t “Ignore” the Offensive Line, Todd McShay Picks Familiar Name for MIN in Mock Draft, It begins. That fact was noted by Baker earlier this off-season: PFF Drops Offensive Line Bombshell about Vikings. So, no, they haven’t ignored the line in the draft as of late. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I do agree some of that is due to coaching and and even bigger share is due to the zone run concept that somehow limits the Vikings brass from drafting less athletic but more powerful offensive guards. He had an exceptional OL when they were healthy in Washington, aside from Spencer Long, and the OL there was run by a technician in Bill Callahan. Spielmer instead quintupled-down on their philosophy of team building by selected FIVE defensive backs and only selecting an offensive guard with the FIFTEENTH pick, which happened to be the pick before the last pick. And it will be a focus of the offseason as the Vikings decide which direction they go … The seemingly annual reboot of the Minnesota Vikings offensive line has commenced.. Sure, many felt that Cleveland was the left tackle of the future and thus scratched their heads as to why the Vikings were yet again moving a promising player to a position they’d never played before (and on the side they weren’t used to), but he felt like an improvement on the right that lead some to proclaim that the right side of the line was finally settled. If the Pro Football Focus grades are to be believed, the Minnesota Vikings have found their savior at guard. Spielmer?) To sum things up, the Vikings have drafted more linemen. The Vikings may not be able to keep Reiff around due to his contract situation, so it’s a possibility that the Minnesota offensive line could take a big step back. Especially since Cook can make people miss in a phone booth and should be able to create at the 2nd level on his own. The draft is a crap shoot at best, many of us as fans were pleased with the picks when they were made, they have just not panned out. Garrett Bradbury made great strides from his rookie year, but still finished with a PFF grade of 61.4. For almost a decade now, the Minnesota Vikings have waded through a morass of offensive line incompetency. So, Bradbury is struggling. They also need to keep Reiff around. Minnesota Vikings- 26th The offensive line has been an issue for multiple years now in Minnesota, and it remains one following a 2020 season where they graded out as the 28th-best pass-blocking offensive line in the NFL. That ain’t nothing. The Vikings do ignore the O-line, just not how they used to, Vikings Draft Profile: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU, 2021 Looks Like End of Road for Mike Hughes with Vikings, Vikings Trade Back, Draft O-Lineman in Latest Mock Draft, PFF Suggests Top-Notch Free Agent Guard for Vikings. Many Vikings fans felt some semblance of optimism in 2020 as then rookie Ezra Cleveland replaced unmitigated disaster Dru Samia at the right guard spot. Here is the review for 2020: Ezra Cleveland showed flashes of promise. There are unrestricted free agents like S Anthony Harris and LB Eric Wilson, both of whom will be hard for the team to keep. But, from what basically every former lineman or coach has told me about the tape they’ve watched on this line? Granted, Tennessee’s offensive line certainly had its warts, but was impressive overall after cutting their sacks allowed total … Would love your thoughts, please comment. Here are some of the decisions the team could make before it signs more players. From the Colts to the Buccaneers games, the Vikings interior was dominated at times and it showed in the production of the offense. The most shocking thing is the lack of awareness. The Minnesota Vikings haven’t returned the same five starters on its offensive line in the past seven seasons — 2021 will be no exception to the trend. Minnesota’s guards were some of the worst starters in the league in 2020, with Dru Samia ending up with an 18.7 PFF pass-blocking grade and Dakota Dozier a 36.7 pass-blocking mark. In an article from the very end of December, Braun wrote of Cleveland’s play at guard (while arguing the Vikings needed to move him back to tackle): “Ezra Cleveland was a left tackle throughout college, so his move to right guard took some time. Yet again, though, left guard Dakota Dozier had a grade around or below 30 for the fourth time this season. That lead many to believe that Zimmer, who was going into his final contracted year, would need to massively improve his team in 2020 if he wanted an extension. At some point I would think they would start to value a guard who is big and powerful enough to not be shoved into Cousins lap on every passing down. “The reason that I asked about the OL coach is because the whole line plays like shit. Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reported that the Vikings have elected not to tender the cornerback. Minnesota Vikings. Despite that, Cousins had a great year and the Vikings even won a playoff game. Unless otherwise stated, all photos are provided with permission from the Minnesota Vikings and courtesy of Vikings.com and the Vikings’ photographers. If the $180 million floor ends up being the salary cap, Minnesota will have to make some tough decisions to free up space. Minnesota also has an exclusive rights free agent: CB Chris Jones. Cleveland was boom or bust, Brian O’Neill improved mightily in the run game but regressed in pass protection, and Garrett Bradbury has been an unmitigated disaster. Want Vikings news straight to your inbox? That nucleus he mentions of Bradbury-Cleveland-O’Neill, to me, is really just a single proton/player that this, or any team, could build around: Brian O’Neill. They did it because they are allergic to offensive line depth. Vikings Territory brings you the latest Vikings news, rumors, speculation, and reaction surrounding the Minnesota Vikings and is part of the purpleTERRITORY Media LLC network! The Vikings haven’t ignored the line in the draft. Joe Johnson started purplePTSD.com back in 2015 & purpleTERRITORYradio.com in 2019, and purchased VikingsTerritory.com before the 2017-18 season , used to write for VikingsJournal.com and is the host of the ’Morning Joes’ & ‘About the Labor’ Podcasts, as well. Really bad” [Exclusive]. Kline spent the first three seasons of his career with the Patriots in New England, where he made 18 starts and appeared in 33 total games. This push is led almost completely by Dalvin Cook and the run game, with Kirk Cousins sitting in the back seat.