It’s certainly not the end of the world, but the Minnesota Vikings drafted a guy in April – – and cut him in August. That’s the story for recently released rookie center Gavin Gerhardt, who was waived during final cuts and later re-signed to Minnesota’s practice squad. Days later, the Vikings released him again.
Thankfully for Gerhardt’s sake, it didn’t take long to find gainful employment. He signed with the Houston Texans this week, and now the Vikings will hope they don’t look silly in hindsight – – because that has happened before.
The Gerhardt Pick Looks Like a Waste
Texans Grab Gerhardt after Vikings Cut Him from Practice Squad
Yahoo Sports‘ Dave Clark wrote Tuesday, “The Houston Texans announced they’ve signed former Cincinnati Bearcats center Gavin Gerhardt to their practice squad.”
“Gerhardt was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round (235th overall) in the 2026 NFL Draft. In August, Gerhardt was waived by the Vikings during final roster cuts.”
Minnesota dropped Gerhardt from the practice squad on September 2 when they added two veteran offensive linemen. Houston waited six days to pounce. It now gets the lottery ticket without spending draft capital.
Perhaps Gerhardt never amounts to much of anything. Seventh-rounders disappear every year. Still, this was not some random camp body. Minnesota studied him and drafted him after a backup center competition looked possible. Then it chose Nick Samac off waivers and dumped the rookie. Bizarre.
A Wasted 7th-Rounder
Seventh-rounders are not a huge meal ticket; let’s get that out of the way. But the complaint is about opportunity cost.
The Vikings’ OLB depth looks dicey now, and hindsight makes the alternative easy to find. Iowa pass rusher Max Llewellyn went three picks after Gerhardt. He produced 6.5 sacks in his final college season and made Miami’s 53-man roster. Minnesota currently backs up Dallas Turner with Chaz Chambliss, while Bo Richter sits behind Andrew Van Ginkel. Kyle Van Noy is on the practice squad.
That doesn’t imply Llewellyn will become Jared Allen. Few do. It means a 7th-round EDGE dart would be more useful today than a center the Vikings abandoned immediately. Gerhardt was supposed to provide developmental insurance, but within four months, Minnesota decided it preferred somebody else.
This is a waste.
The Ed Ingram Warning
The Texans taking another discarded Vikings offensive lineman should make purple fans raise an eyebrow. Why? Ed Ingram supplied the warning.
Ingram was average-to-bad during three seasons in Minnesota. His Pro Football Focus grades never reached 60.0, and the Vikings eventually shipped him to Houston via trade. The weird part then happened. Ingram posted a 73.8 overall grade in 2025, including a 79.9 run-blocking mark that ranked sixth among all NFL guards. Houston rewarded him with a three-year, $37.5 million contract this offseason. What a world.
To be clear, Gerhardt is not Ingram. One was a 2nd-round pick; the other barely made it out of the draft. Nevertheless, the Texans squeezed value from a Vikings offensive line castoff. This time, they get one for free. Here’s to hoping the Ingram movie doesn’t have a sequel.
Vikings’ Situation at Center Now
Here’s the Vikings’ pecking order at center:
- Blake Brandel
- Michael Jurgens (IR)
- Nick Samac
Guard Joe Huber evidently has center utility if the preseason can be trusted as evidence.
So, is the depth good enough? If Brandel plays well – – absolutely. Minnesota spent the offseason converting him into a center, and teammates have praised his command.
Left guard Donovan Jackson said of Brandel last month, “We only go where the center takes us. So it’s a mental as well as a physical load — but Blake did it seamlessly last year.”
“And then coming into this year, he’s just built on what he did last season. I’m excited to play next to him, excited to see where he leads us.”
The concern is that the experiment could go sideways or Brandel could get hurt. Jurgens is unavailable for now, while Samac has almost zero NFL offensive resume.
Everything comes back to Brandel. If he becomes a competent starter, nobody will care about Gerhardt. If center becomes a problem, burning a draft pick at the position will look dumb.
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VikesNow Verdict: Gerhardt may never become an NFL starter, but that’s beside the point. The Vikings spent a draft pick on a center they discarded within four months while EDGE depth remained thin.
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