The Minnesota Vikings took a big swing on their offensive line last offseason, and Blake Brandel is making it look like the right call.
Brandel moved into the center spot with a lot on his shoulders, especially after Ryan Kelly retired after the 2025 campaign because of injuries that had piled up at the end of his career. Minnesota had at least seen Brandel there before, but the transition was never going to be seamless. Plenty of people figured center could end up being a soft spot for the offense.
Instead, Brandel has turned into one of the Vikings’ steadiest pieces, and the last month has been especially strong.
Even in Week 8, when Minnesota suffered its first loss of the season against the Detroit Lions, Brandel put together one of his best outings. Over 33 pass-blocking snaps, he didn’t allow a single pressure, hurry, or sack. Pro Football Focus graded that performance at 76.8, and it was the third time in the last four games that he landed above 70.
That four-game run tells the story. Brandel has given up only four pressures and one sack during that stretch, which is a pretty solid answer from a player who had an uneven start to 2026.
Across his seven starts this season, he has allowed seven pressures, two quarterback hurries, and one sack in 254 pass-blocking snaps. He has also been flagged twice.
PFF has him at a 65.4 overall grade, which ranks 14th out of 35 eligible centers. His pass-blocking grade sits at 71.3, good for 11th, while his run-blocking grade is 64.6, placing him 15th.
That’s a strong return for a move that carried real risk. Brandel was forced into emergency duty at center last year with Kelly hurt and multiple other injuries hitting the line. Minnesota didn’t know then whether it had found a long-term answer.
Now the pressure has shifted. Brandel is in the final year of his contract, so this season was always going to matter for his future. After seven games, the Vikings may already have their solution for 2026.
There’s even a case to be made that Minnesota should think about keeping him around for 2027, too. He should be affordable, which matters for a team that has had salary cap concerns over the last year. The Vikings could still look to the NFL Draft for a longer-term center, but Brandel has put himself in position to remain part of the picture.
For now, that’s a welcome development for Minnesota. Brandel is helping steady the offensive line, and the only real question left is whether he can keep this level going over the final 10 regular-season games and lock down his future with the Vikings.
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