The Minnesota Vikings will hold joint practices this week with the Baltimore Ravens and play them in a preseason game this weekend. The events will give Kevin O’Connell’s team a better gauge of roster depth before the regular season, and for curious minds, here’s a list of the club’s most concerning depth chart spots right now.
They’re listed in ascending order (No. 1 = most concerning roster position).
Four Questions the Vikings May Still Have to Answer
4. QB — As in Durability
Do the Vikings have a quarterback quantity problem? Absolutely not – – Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer are in the house. All four have starting NFL experience, with Wentz actually leading the pack at 99 starts.
But the quarterback room does not feature passers known for durability. There are no iron men.
Murray has missed 21 games due to injuries over the past three seasons. McCarthy’s rookie year was cut short by a torn meniscus, and he subsequently dealt with a high-ankle sprain, a hand injury, and a concussion while starting 10 games in 2025. Wentz, who replaced McCarthy last season, eventually required shoulder surgery himself. Brosmer is banged up at this very minute. While Minnesota appears to have enviable quarterback depth, virtually every player at the top of their depth chart has a recent injury history.
Between the four – – preferably Murray because head coach Kevin O’Connell named him the starter last week – – the Vikings need a healthy quarterback and not hopscotch between multiple men, as happened in 2023 and 2025. Quarterback hopscotch ravages seasons.
3. Center
Blake Brandel will be a Week 1 starter at center for the very first time. The experiment could be a resounding success – – or Brandel could struggle with basic functionality, like snapping the ball. The center-quarterback exchanges in Eagan at training camp have not been pristine. Brandel played only 363 snaps at center last season, having spent his entire football life elsewhere along the offensive line.
Behind him on the depth chart are Michael Jurgens, 7th-round rookie Gavin Gerhardt, and Delby Lemieux. While Brandel could absolutely become the long-term answer at the position, the center position remains difficult to coin settled until he proves himself over 17 games while handling protections and elite interior rushers.
The Vikings could’ve signed a free-agent center like Cade Mays or Tyler Biadasz (just two examples) or drafted a promising rookie like Sam Hecht, Logan Jones, Connor Lew, or Jake Slaughter. They didn’t. It’s the Brandel Show.
The aforementioned Wentz said of Brandel last year, “He seems confident, which is huge. Just that alone makes the difference.”
Here’s to hoping Wentz is right and the fears about Brandel are irrational.
2. Backup Guard
If Donovan Jackson or Will Fries got hurt at training camp today, Minnesota would pivot to Joe Huber, Walter Rouse, or Henry Byrd. Would you be excited about that?
Huber, Rouse, Byrd, and potentially Vershon Lee form a very green safety net for a team that utilized 26 different offensive line combinations in 2025. If either starting guard misses significant time, no proven veteran is ready to step in.
The good news? General manager Nolan Teasley could rather easily fix this problem by signing a free agent like Will Hernandez or Shaq Mason. Old, experienced guards who know their roles as backups aren’t hard to find in free agency.
It’s just that the Vikings have preferred none through five months of free agency. Zilch.
1. Outside Linebacker
The main event. From the moment Minnesota traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles, the OLB depth has caused heartburn for fans. It’s Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, and multiple UDFA options with limited experience.
Tyler Batty, Bo Richter, Chaz Chambliss, and Cam’Ron Stewart have yet to establish themselves as reliable NFL pass rushers. With Minnesota signing Kenny Dyson on Monday, immediately following the departure of Arden Walker, their pass rushing depth remains uncertain. Greenard previously provided Brian Flores with three solid options at EDGE. Now, an injury to either Van Ginkel or Turner could force a rookie into action. Perhaps rookie Jake Golday may be game-ready for EDGE snaps. Stay tuned.
Overall, consider this: how would you feel if a cellphone notification told you this week that Van Ginkel would miss 1-2 months?
Exactly – – that’s why Teasley should probably sign a veteran like Leonard Floyd or Haason Reddick. Few teams look back on a season in January or February and lament OLB depth.
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VikesNow Verdict: What happens when injuries arise? Quarterback durability, an unproven center, and thin depth at guard and outside linebacker leave four areas where the Vikings still have awkward questions.
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