The Minnesota Vikings have opened the season 2-0, and the clearest reason why has been the work happening in the trenches. Even with early adversity, including losing Kyler Murray early against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, Minnesota has found a way to keep winning because the offensive line has held up.
That unit has been a big part of the story through two games. PFF says the Vikings’ starting five of Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Blake Brandel, Will Fries, and Brian O’Neill has allowed eight QB pressures, two sacks, and two penalties. Within that group, second-year guard Donovan Jackson stands out even more: he’s the only one who has not given up a pressure, sack, or penalty.
Jackson’s rise is especially notable because the Vikings made him their first-round pick in 2025, selecting him at No. 24.
His Ohio State résumé was strong - three First-team All-Big Ten honors and a role on the 2024 Buckeyes team that won the national championship. Teams were drawn to his play strength, his ability in the zone run game, and his experience at both tackle and guard.
Minnesota was looking for a real fix inside, and Jackson was the answer they chose.
Not everyone loved the move at the time. Some fans and experts questioned the pick because of positional value and the other needs on the roster. Guard is one of those spots NFL teams often treat as less glamorous than quarterback or tackle, and that skepticism followed Jackson into the league.
His rookie season did little to silence it. Jackson started 14 games and posted average results, giving up two sacks and 20 pressures in 2025. That was enough for some draft re-grades to drag Minnesota toward the bottom of the league, with Jackson basically carrying the grade by himself.
This season has looked different from the start. Minnesota has topped 100 rushing yards in back-to-back games, and the line looked especially sturdy in the rain at Soldier Field. In a game that demanded a physical, old-school approach, Jackson kept doing his job and staying squarely on his assignment.
He may not have been the flashy selection, but he’s looking like exactly the kind of player the Vikings needed. The jump he’s made in his second season is already obvious, and that’s a promising sign for a team trying to build a more balanced offense.
Frank Smith, the new run-game guru, has to be pleased with what he’s seeing from Jackson, especially with the zone run game showing the kind of payoff his scouting reports suggested it could.
Minnesota will need Jackson to keep this up, along with the rest of the offensive line. If that group stays healthy, the Vikings can keep leaning on a balanced attack, and that could matter a lot when playoff time arrives.
In Other News...
Vikings Third Round Receiver Is Already Facing One Harsh Reality
Tai Felton arrived in Minnesota as a third-round pick with the kind of pedigree that usually buys a rookie receiver a little runway. He flashed enough in the 2026 preseason to keep the conversation going, but once the games counted, the Vikings have found other ways to fill the role he was expected to grow into, leaving him with limited involvement through his first two regular-season games.
The latest wrinkle came when the Vikings announced that WR3 Jauan Jennings would miss a game because of a personal matter, a development that would normally open the door for a young wideout looking for snaps. For Felton, it underscores the harsh reality of this point in his rookie season: even when opportunity appears to be there, he still has to wait for the coaches to trust him enough to turn that chance into targets. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Face 3 Week 3 Decisions That Could Test Kevin O'Connell
The Vikings are 2-0 and sitting on top of the NFC North, but the first real stretch of early-season decision-making is already landing on Kevin O'Connells desk. With the team working through injuries, the next week brings a handful of lineup questions that could shape how Minnesota handles the rest of September, especially with several veterans needing careful management and younger players pushing for larger roles.
Kyler Murray is expected back in Week 3 after missing Week 2 with a concussion, while the staff also has to weigh how much to lean on Harrison Smith on defense and how to handle Aaron Jones workload on offense because of an injury issue. There is also uncertainty around rookie options such as Demond Claiborne and Jake Golday, both of whom are dealing with an ankle injury, leaving O'Connell to balance urgency, health and depth at a time when the Vikings have a chance to keep building momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Face A Bigger Test Than Their 2-0 Start Suggests
The Vikings have opened with a pair of division wins, taking down the Packers and Bears in a start that already carries real weight in the NFC North. Beating familiar opponents right away gives Minnesota an early cushion in the standings, and it also sets a tone for the weeks ahead as the schedule eases up on paper. Even with that strong opening, the first two games have mostly served as a reminder that the Vikings still need production from more than one part of the roster if they want the start to mean something in the long run.
The next five games offer a chance to build on the fast start, with opponents generally viewed as lower-ranked than the two division foes Minnesota has already handled. Still, the bigger questions around the quarterback situation remain part of the backdrop, and that makes the coming stretch feel less like a formality than a test of how sturdy this team really is. The Vikings have bought themselves some early breathing room, but the path ahead will say plenty about whether this start is the beginning of something or just a strong first step. [Read more 🡒]