2026 Free Agency and Draft: OL
It's not likely the Vikings will target tackle or guard in either free agency or the draft, but you never know, especially with the questions surrounding Darrisaw. However, center is a position they will almost certainly address. I agree with this article. I'd use one of our 3rd rounders on a center and have him compete with Brandel. Might be time to cut bait on Jurgens.
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If the Vikings want to sign a starting center in free agency, it's going to cost them. They need to find a replacement for Ryan Kelly, who announced his retirement on Friday, but the price point on a few recent center contracts could cause Minnesota to look towards the draft instead.
In the last few days, three different centers have come off the market prior to the beginning of free agency, dwindling the supply a bit for teams with a need at the position.
March 6: Tyler Biadasz signs a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chargers after being cut by the Commanders.
March 7: Bills re-sign Connor McGovern on four-year, $52 million contract.
March 8: Packers re-sign Sean Rhyan on three-year, $33 million deal.
That's $10 million a year for Biadasz, $13 million for McGovern, and $11 million for Rhyan. $10 million a year seems to be the baseline price for a proven starting center. The Vikings have cleared up enough cap space to make some additions this week, but will they want to allocate that much of their budget to one of the few remaining center options?
It seems very unlikely that the Vikings will be in on the top free agent center, Baltimore's Tyler Linderbaum. He's expected to get at least $20 million per year, which will make him the highest-paid center in the NFL.
Beyond Linderbaum, Carolina's Cade Mays now stands out as the likely No. 2 option on the market. He figures to get a deal in the $10-13 million range. The other remaining free agent centers who played at least 600 offensive snaps last season are Ethan Pocic (Browns), Lloyd Cushenberry III (Titans), Graham Glasgow (Lions), and Luke Fortner (Saints).
The Vikings do have a couple in-house center options in Blake Brandel and Michael Jurgens. Brandel made six starts at center last season while Kelly was sidelined by concussions. He filled in admirably at that spot, but the Vikings may want to have him as a depth lineman who can play all five positions. Jurgens also saw time last year, but the former seventh-round pick ranked 37th out of 40 centers (minimum 300 snaps) in PFF grade.
If the Vikings don't want to pay up for a free agent center, they could look to the draft in April to find their future starter. There are a number of players whose value may align with one of Minnesota's two third-round picks. Those include Connor Lew (Auburn), Jake Slaughter (Florida), Logan Jones (Iowa), and a few others. A plan that makes plenty of sense is for the Vikings to draft a center and have them compete with Brandel and Jurgens for the job in 2026.
Canthony wrote:
I am not crazy high on Hecht, but I like him better than Slaughter. What are your feeling on him?
Haven't watched much. I know he's a technician, and I know he struggled a bit with Lee Hunter in the Senior Bowl, as did everyone. Sounds like he's in that group with Slaughter, Lew and Logan Jones. Haven't watched enough of any of them yet to put them in an order I'd feel good about. But I will say that I like Slaughter more than you do. His pass pro is next level.
Nice battle between two Florida guys. Jake Slaughter vs Caleb Banks pic.twitter.com/TpPYYeNtBB
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) January 28, 2026
Jake Slaughter, step right up! #HTownMade pic.twitter.com/dn8ZdSuDmZ https://t.co/ovOcOkIHA2
— big ounce (@_bigounce) February 24, 2026
Sam Hecht is an incredibly athletic, coordinated center prospect who could go as early as round 2 pic.twitter.com/ATiGRL5Ay1
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) March 16, 2026
I really hope this works out with Ryan Van Demark.... 25th of 89 Tackles. Good depth
O'Neil was 13th. Darrisaw 7th
https://imgur.com/a/ryan-van-demark-oAOHlRh
I am having a hell of a time posting a pic. Put the pic on Imgur and still wont show the pic. Oh well.
This is interesting. Pregnon ranks 41st on consensus boards. That's early 2nd round. Would the Vikings really take a guard that early? I doubt it. They can get out of Fries contract after this year with zero dead, so think they'll take a guard, but I can't imagine taking one that early. Pregnon is a wildebeast.
The #Vikings OL coaches met with Oregon G Emmanuel Pregnon at his pro day, per @TonyPauline. Pregnon is seen by some as a top 2 guard in this class. pic.twitter.com/3I0TSDK6LC
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) March 21, 2026
This is interesting. Pregnon ranks 41st on consensus boards. That's early 2nd round. Would the Vikings really take a guard that early? I doubt it. They can get out of Fries contract after this year with zero dead, so think they'll take a guard, but I can't imagine taking one that early. Pregnon is a wildebeast.
[twitter]https://x.com/vikingzfanpage/status/2035362565631410565?s=20[/twitter]
[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDybLEjXUAAo0BO?format=jpg&name=small[/img]
Lordy lord.
SurfnRide wrote:
We have Fries on a 5 year contract and Jackson is looking solid. We need IDL and a Center before any thoughts about a guard
Clearly. But the Vikings can get out of Fries contract after this season with zero dead. If he doesn't play better this year, I think the Vikings could choose to move on. It's obviously not a day one or two need, but I could see a guard late on day three.
MaroonBells wrote:
Clearly. But the Vikings can get out of Fries contract after this season with zero dead. If he doesn't play better this year, I think the Vikings could choose to move on. It's obviously not a day one or two need, but I could see a guard late on day three.
IMO we have some major needs that need to be addressed with the 1st 4 picks. My dream is S, DT, C, DT. Unless we grab Wilkens for cheap and then we can start messing around. Our IDL is trash right now. We're going to get destroyed up the middle against the run. S, DT, C, G. Pick 2/3/4 can be interchanged. BPA
SurfnRide wrote:
IMO we have some major needs that need to be addressed with the 1st 4 picks. My dream is S, DT, C, DT. Unless we grab Wilkens for cheap and then we can start messing around. Our IDL is trash right now. We're going to get destroyed up the middle against the run. S, DT, C, G. Pick 2/3/4 can be interchanged. BPA
I wouldn't exactly call it trash with Jalen Redmond, who ranked 2nd in the NFL in "blown blocks forced" behind only Maxx Crosby and ahead of players like Jared Verse and Derrick Brown.
But yes, unless we intend to start the hyphens, we need to add two. I would've preferred a free agent and a draft pick, but we may have to take two in the draft.
MaroonBells wrote:
I wouldn't exactly call it trash with Jalen Redmond, who ranked 2nd in the NFL in "blown blocks forced" behind only Maxx Crosby and ahead of players like Jared Verse and Derrick Brown.
But yes, unless we intend to start the hyphens, we need to add two. I would've preferred a free agent and a draft pick, but we may have to take two in the draft.
Agreed on Redmond. He has been an amazing surprise. On a 1 year 1.075M contract so if he performs again this year we will have to pay him. We need depth and IMO 2 DT's in the top 4 picks. I feel like we are ok on DE's with AVG, Turner and Greenard if he stays.
SurfnRide wrote:
Agreed on Redmond. He has been an amazing surprise. On a 1 year 1.075M contract so if he performs again this year we will have to pay him. We need depth and IMO 2 DT's in the top 4 picks. I feel like we are ok on DE's with AVG, Turner and Greenard if he stays.
Yes, right now we have an embarrassment of riches at Edge. But if we trade Greenard, we're going to have to turn right around and use the pick we get for him on an Edge, unless the teams is ready to promote Batty or Richter to the role Turner played last year.
MaroonBells wrote:
Yes, right now we have an embarrassment of riches at Edge. But if we trade Greenard, we're going to have to turn right around and use the pick we get for him on an Edge, unless the teams is ready to promote Batty or Richter to the role Turner played last year.
I'm fine with that if we get rid of Greenard. It would be addition by subtraction. I hope we get atleast a 2nd for him. I really dont want to get rid of him but age catches everyone and we can get value for him while he is playing good. AKA the patriots way. We'd have 5 picks in the first 3 rounds.
SurfnRide wrote:
I'm fine with that if we get rid of Greenard. It would be addition by subtraction. I hope we get atleast a 2nd for him. I really dont want to get rid of him but age catches everyone and we can get value for him while he is playing good. AKA the patriots way. We'd have 5 picks in the first 3 rounds.
Man...Hard for me to part with Greenard, even for a 2nd rounder. Not saying I wouldnt do it, but I would have to think long and hard about it...
That rotation of him/Gink/Turner covers an awful lot for weakness in the IDL and no pro-bowlers in the DB room.
Plus (as MB noted) you are trading a proven Edge commodity for most likely a draft pick that you have to HOPE pans out. Greenard still makes a lot of OT's look silly.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
purplefaithful wrote:
Man...Hard for me to part with Greenard, even for a 2nd rounder. Not saying I wouldnt do it, but I would have to think long and hard about it...
That rotation of him/Gink/Turner covers an awful lot for weakness in the IDL and no pro-bowlers in the DB room.
Plus (as MB noted) you are trading a proven Edge commodity for most likely a draft pick that you have to HOPE pans out. Greenard still makes a lot of OT's look silly.
Yes he does make people look silly. I made a mistake and thought he was 32. Nope 28. DE's don't typically start dropping off in performance until 30-32 usually so he still has miles in the tank.
Hope we keep him. We still have 8M I think in cap space so there isnt a big need to free up cap space yet.
Personally I want us to take a risk on Wilkins. Top 10 DT. Low risk high reward and our culture is NOT the Raiders. He would be a massive upgrade for us and eliminate the need to draft a DT in a relatively poor DT/DE class.
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/christian-wilkins-vikings-free-agency
SurfnRide wrote:
Yes he does make people look silly. I made a mistake and thought he was 32. Nope 28. DE's don't typically start dropping off in performance until 30-32 usually so he still has miles in the tank.
Hope we keep him. We still have 8M I think in cap space so there isnt a big need to free up cap space yet.
Personally I want us to take a risk on Wilkins. Top 10 DT. Low risk high reward and our culture is NOT the Raiders. He would be a massive upgrade for us and eliminate the need to draft a DT in a relatively poor DT/DE class.
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/christian-wilkins-vikings-free-agency
LOL.... I come to the OL thread to get caught up on the DL. I agree on hanging onto Grenard, we could still move him at the trade deadline if things are going well for a pick next year.
I wonder if Fries has ever played any center? take that big mamajama from Oregon and slide him or and Jackson book end Fries for and IOL trio that would match our OTs.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
This guy will go long before the Vikings have any business taking a guard, but Jalen Farmer is one who has stood out to me. Current 4th round value. 6-5, 312, 4.9 forty, 34-inch arms
Logan Jones is a OC prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.63 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 28 out of 729 OC from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/LzxLhFADqv pic.twitter.com/PcCo5oXkcQ
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) March 31, 2026
Jake Slaughter is a OC prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.97 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 3 out of 729 OC from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/Y7cpJB7ST0 pic.twitter.com/uS669YkL0K
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) March 31, 2026
Great debate happening in draft rooms right now that I can’t wait to see unfold is who is the first center drafted. All of them at the top have similar grades from scouts this year.
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) April 13, 2026
• Logan Jones, Iowa
• Sam Hecht, Kansas State
• Jake Slaughter, Florida
• Connor Lew, Auburn
Slaughter has been my guy since last fall.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
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