Vikings' Offensive Line Woes Return in 2025 - and 2026 Needs to Be About Fixing It for Good
At 4-8, the Minnesota Vikings aren't officially eliminated from playoff contention, but with less than a 1% shot at a Wild Card berth, the focus has already begun to shift toward 2026. And if there’s one issue that continues to haunt this team, it’s the offensive line - a problem they thought they had addressed, but one that’s reared its head again in 2025.
Injuries have shredded the continuity up front. The starting five they envisioned heading into the season?
That group has only lined up together once - and even that brief showing ended with more players heading to the trainer’s room. It's been a revolving door of patchwork protection, and that’s no way to develop a young quarterback.
Which brings us to J.J. McCarthy.
The rest of this season is about his growth. The Vikings need to find out if he’s their guy - the long-term answer under center.
But that evaluation becomes a lot harder when he's constantly under duress. If Minnesota wants to give McCarthy a real shot at success, it starts with fixing the trenches.
So what does the team have in place heading into 2026, and where do they need to look for reinforcements?
What the Vikings Have Going Into 2026
Let’s start with what’s already in the building.
On the left side, there’s reason for optimism. Rookie guard Donovan Jackson looks like a hit - a rare bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent year for the line.
Pair him with Christian Darrisaw, the veteran left tackle who’s still under contract, and the Vikings have a solid foundation on that side. Guard Will Fries, signed last offseason, is also expected to return and has been one of the few constants in a season marked by instability.
But beyond that trio, things get murkier.
Right tackle Brian O’Neill and center Ryan Kelly are both set to hit free agency after 2026. While that gives the Vikings one more year of control, it also forces the front office to make some tough decisions soon.
Do they extend one or both? Or start planning for life after them?
Then there are the depth pieces. Justin Skule and Blake Brandel have logged meaningful snaps this season, but neither is signed beyond 2026.
Skule’s future looks uncertain given his performance, but Brandel has shown enough to warrant consideration for a new deal or extension. O’Neill, too, could be a candidate to stick around if the price is right and the team believes he can return to form.
Bottom line: there’s a partial foundation here, but Minnesota is still at least a couple of reliable starters away from fielding a line that can protect its young quarterback and open up the offense.
Where Do They Look for Help?
There are two obvious paths: free agency and the NFL Draft. And both will need to be explored aggressively.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has had mixed results in free agency. While he’s found some value - Fries being a good example - others haven’t panned out.
Kelly, for instance, has played just 70% of snaps in five games due to a pair of concussions and a hip injury. Availability matters, and the Vikings haven’t had much of it in the middle of their line.
So who could be on the radar?
One name that jumps off the page is Tyler Linderbaum. The 27-year-old center would be a game-changer - a plug-and-play leader who could immediately stabilize the interior. But he’ll command a significant contract, and competition will be fierce.
A more realistic (and familiar) route for Adofo-Mensah might be targeting a high-upside veteran like Braden Smith. The 30-year-old tackle has battled injuries but has put together a strong 2025 campaign in Indianapolis. He fits the mold of the GM’s past signings: experienced, slightly undervalued, and still capable of high-level play when healthy.
Then there’s the draft.
The Vikings hit on Jackson this year - a much-needed win for a front office that hasn’t exactly built a reputation for drafting well in the trenches. Can they do it again?
With needs in the secondary also looming large, Minnesota may have to balance priorities. But if they can find a reliable, NFL-ready lineman in the early rounds, it could pay off in a big way.
Names like Francis Mauigoa (Miami), Gennings Dunker (Iowa), and Connor Lew (Auburn) are worth watching as the pre-draft process unfolds. The hope is that one of them could follow Jackson’s path and step in as a day-one contributor.
Any Help Already on the Roster?
If the Vikings strike out in free agency or the draft - or simply want to see what they’ve got in-house - there are a few young names to consider.
Walter Rouse, Michael Jurgens, and Joe Huber are all under contract beyond 2026 and have seen some game action this season. But between the three of them, they’ve combined for just two starts. That’s not a ton of experience, and while all three are still young (Jurgens is the oldest at 25), it’s hard to project any of them as locked-in starters just yet.
Still, if one of them can make a leap in the offseason, it could ease the pressure on the front office. But that’s a big “if,” and one the Vikings can’t afford to rely on exclusively.
Protecting the Investment in McCarthy
Quarterback might be the most important position in football, but no signal-caller can thrive without protection. For J.J. McCarthy to develop into the franchise QB Minnesota hopes he can be, the offensive line needs to be more than just functional - it needs to be consistent, cohesive, and capable of keeping him upright.
The Vikings have made it clear they want to develop McCarthy the right way. That starts with giving him a clean pocket and a chance to work through growing pains without getting hit on every other dropback.
If Minnesota wants to turn things around in 2026, it won’t just be about who’s under center - it’ll be about who’s standing in front of him.