Darrisaw to IR

better give Brandel a pay raise, I think he has played 4 of the 5 positions.

greediron wrote:
better give Brandel a pay raise, I think he has played 4 of the 5 positions.

I agree, even though he isnt a free agent until after next year,  he has shown enough this year to reward and lock down.  I would say offer him low current starter money for an IOL on a  deal that would add 3 years to his current deal.  Odds are that even if he ends up being a back up,  he still ends up playing enough downs to make it a value contract over that term.  If he wants to bet on himself we still have the ability to franchise if he blows up,  but I would say that we should look to draft (26) IOL in case somebody outbids in free agency so we arent stuck in 27 offseason with no experienced IOL candidate to replace him.

We're already paying expensive veteran money at 4 of the 5 OL positions. But I wouldn't feel bad paying him to start at Center if Kelly retires.

Brandel has started regular season games at all 5 positions except right tackle.

He did start at RT in a preseason game this year versus raiders.

Sunday at New York he's starting at right tackle

IMHO over the next 3 games, the Vikings are gonna seriously evaluate him to be the starter at right tackle next year.

StickierBuns wrote:
No Darrisaw and no O'Neill possibly brings back PTSD with JJ's play. Hopefully that won't be the case.

More worrisome is I wonder what this means for Darrisaw's future? Will an offseason of rest help or is this now problematic moving forward?

Yah, the OL being as short-handed as it will be is worrisome - especially against that front 4. Let's see if they can be as solid as they were against Dallas.

I've listened closely to how coaches/org have talked about Darrisaw this season. I have sniffed for the scent of long-term concern in their words, they've hidden it well if it's there at all. 

That said, Darrisaw remains a question mark for me on-going till he isnt.

greediron wrote:
better give Brandel a pay raise, I think he has played 4 of the 5 positions.

Brandel has been a valuable player for us this season. There was a stretch of three games mid-year when his pass blocking grade at center never dipped below 78. Michael Jurgens was terrible early on, but really settled in later, at least in terms of PFF grade. I'm curious which will have the inside track on the backup center position going in to 2026.

MaroonBells wrote:

Brandel has been a valuable player for us this season. There was a stretch of three games mid-year when his pass blocking grade at center never dipped below 78. Michael Jurgens was terrible early on, but really settled in later, at least in terms of PFF grade. I'm curious which will have the inside track on the backup center position going in to 2026.

And now this is an even bigger question with Kelly going down with his upteenth concussion. If he doesn't retire, he should probably get his head examined. 

Curious to see what the Vikings do at center in 2026. Jurgens went in over Brandel, which I thought was interesting. I saw Jurgens get beat up the middle once, but didn't really notice him, good or bad, the rest of the day.

MaroonBells wrote:

And now this is an even bigger question with Kelly going down with his upteenth concussion. If he doesn't retire, he should probably get his head examined. 

Curious to see what the Vikings do at center in 2026. Jurgens went in over Brandel, which I thought was interesting. I saw Jurgens get beat up the middle once, but didn't really notice him, good or bad, the rest of the day.

Kelly is now a liability...Ok, thats extreme but he needs to hang-up the cleats and take-up some gardening. 

C is a huge need for us next season and I hate starting a rook at that position too.

purplefaithful wrote:

Kelly is now a liability...Ok, thats extreme but he needs to hang-up the cleats and take-up some gardening. 

C is a huge need for us next season and I hate starting a rook at that position too.

I think it depends on what the team thinks of Brandel and/or Jurgens. Given how much we have invested in the rest of the line, I think the Vikings could stand pat.

I can't remember where I read it, but Kelly said after his last concussion he was considering retirement. Now with another concussion, I won't be surprised if he calls it quits.

ArizonaViking wrote:
I can't remember where I read it, but Kelly said after his last concussion he was considering retirement.  Now with another concussion, I won't be surprised if he calls it quits.

He's dad to twin boys and a little girl - all under 3 years old. 

He needs to find a safer way to making a living. Gods telling him to move on with all these concussions.

ArizonaViking wrote:
I can't remember where I read it, but Kelly said after his last concussion he was considering retirement.  Now with another concussion, I won't be surprised if he calls it quits.

Steve Nash could barely walk at the end but somehow managed to pass just enough physicals to cash Lakers checks for two more seasons. I'll be interested to see what Kelly does. I won't presume to tell him what's best medically, but from the Vikings' standpoint I gotta think Kelly retiring would be the best outcome. Sucks it hasn't worked.

I think we all knew Kelly was a short term solution,  so they shoukd have been thinking IOL anyway,  I wonder if we need to be looking OT as well.  Darrisaws inability to het back,  and ONeills starting to get dinged more as well.  I dont think OL is a first round d need again yet,  but maybe a day 2 or FA addition is in order.