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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
The Minnesota Vikings saw their weaknesses in the offseason and attacked them aggressively, not to mention with significant success — at least based on preseason analysis heading into training camp later this month.
Minnesota went 14-3 during the regular season, falling one win shy of the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a bye week through Super Wildcard Weekend. A road win in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions might have changed the Vikings’ postseason fortunes, but the offensive line faltered in that contest before falling apart against the Los Angeles Rams‘ pass rush in Round 1 of the playoffs — surrendering nine sacks for a total loss of 82 yards in a 27-9 blowout loss.
The Vikings addressed that fatal flaw this offseason with two free-agent signings and the No. 24 overall draft pick. The unit’s return to full health will also be a factor in Minnesota potentially fielding the best offensive line in the NFL during the upcoming campaign.
“I truly believe that the Minnesota Vikings could have the best offensive line in the NFL,” Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus said on the “PFF NFL Show” that aired on Wednesday, July 9.
Vikings Spent Major Money on Will Fries, Ryan Kelly This Offseason
GettyCenter Ryan Kelly of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings immediately focused on offensive-line improvements when free agency began in March, signing offensive guard Will Fries to a five-year deal worth $88 million and four-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly to a two-year, $18 million contract. Both men started for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024.
Minnesota then used the No. 24 overall pick in the 2025 draft to select Donovan Jackson out of Ohio State, who profiles as the other starting guard alongside Fries.
The Vikings lost left tackle Christian Darrisaw to an ACL/MCL tear during the middle of last season, and while he may not be back in Week 1, he is likely to return early enough in the campaign to be the unit’s pass-blocking anchor for the vast majority of the year.
“Will he be back in time for Week 1? That’s probably a rosy expectation at this point,” Alec Lewis of The Athletic wrote of Darrisaw on July 2. “Still, Darrisaw has attacked his rehab. The Vikings have commended his progress.”
Christian Darrisaw’s Return Biggest Factor for Vikings’ Offensive Line in 2025
GettyTrainers help left tackle Christian Darrisaw of the Minnesota Vikings off the field during a game against the Los Angeles Rams in 2024.
Darrisaw earned the ranking of the league’s 11th-best tackle out of a pool of 140 left/right tackles who played enough snaps to qualify in 2024, per PFF. Darrisaw, who will play next season at 26 years old, signed four-year, $104 million extension in July of last year and is now under contract with the franchise through the 2029 campaign.
“The 23rd overall selection of the 2021 NFL Draft was tracking at a Pro Bowl-caliber level when he suffered the injury just before halftime,” Craig Peters of Vikings.com wrote of Darrisaw on June 10.
Brian O’Neill will bookend the right side of the Vikings’ line as the other starting tackle. He earned Pro-Bowl honors last season, playing in and starting all 17 of the team’s regular-season games.
Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
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