Rookies report Sunday to Minnesota Vikings training camp, meaning you are another inch closer to the regular season, where the purple team is expected to finish 9-8 or 8-9, according to oddsmakers. We’re counting down the Vikings’ most important players in 2026, and after defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez on the countdown Saturday, it’s offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark.
He arrived in March from the Buffalo Bills and is on tap to serve as the main veteran tackle after Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill on the depth chart.
The Vikings’ Veteran Insurance Policy at OT
Van Demark’s Role in 2026
In 2023 and 2024, Minnesota employed a backup OT named David Quessenberry. The year after, the Vikings rolled with Justin Skule at the same position. The franchise evidently doesn’t keep free-agent OTs for long because Van Demark is the latest installment, in town to fortify depth behind Darrisaw and O’Neill.
Van Demark has no documented utility at guard or center, so all signs point to tackle if the Vikings need him (although it’s worth mentioning that the Vikings coaching staff loves to mix-and-match offensive linemen at new positions).
The new lineman played 312 offensive snaps in Buffalo last year, tallying a 74.0 Pro Football Focus grade. If that held across 900-1100 snaps, the man would obviously be a starter somewhere in the NFL.
During the last two seasons, Darrisaw has missed 17 games – – so, half — and O’Neill was absent for three in 2025. The Vikings have rookie tackle Caleb Tiernan on the depth chart, in addition to Walter Rouse, but there’s a reasonable chance that Van Demark would be inserted into the lineup if Darrisaw or O’Neill went down.
Buffalo Low Down‘s Brandon Ray wrote about Van Demark in March, “He has proven to be reliable in key situations, but if the Bills feel that they can find a reliable backup somewhere else, then letting him go to the Vikings won’t be an issue.”
“However, this is one of those situations where if the Bills let him go, they don’t get any draft pick compensation, and then they will be looking for his replacement.”
What Success Looks Like
Ideally, the Vikings won’t need Van Demark on offense; the best-case scenario is zero snaps. It would mean Darrisaw and O’Neill remained upright for 17 games. But if that does not occur, success for Van Demark looks like filling in seamlessly, the guy who enters a game and doesn’t miss a beat. Any player can get injured at any minute, and if that happened to Minnesota, Van Demark’s duty could be to start indefinitely at LT or RT.
Van Demark is 28 and signed a one-year deal in Minnesota. He’d also be auditioning for a starter’s job once free agency arrives in about eight months.
Hold down the fort if Darrisaw or O’Neill go down – – that is the rallying cry for Van Demark in his first year with the Vikings.
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis on Van Demark: “Looks and sounds like a ‘Game of Thrones’ character. Van Demark is a mountain of a man. He can also move.”
What Could Make This Ranking Look Too Low – – or Too High
The ranking will look too high if Darrisaw and O’Neill stay healthy all season and Van Demark is limited almost entirely to special teams. How can a player be overly important if he just doesn’t play? But let’s be real: between Darrisaw and O’Neill, one offensive tackle is likely to miss time; it’s just the nature of the beast in the NFL. And because that position is so crucial to the offense, especially the LT on passing downs, Van Demark as a go-to option is crucial.
On the other hand, the ranking could be too low when it’s all said and done if doomsday hits, and the Vikings lose Darrisaw or O’Neill for a large number of games. For example, in 2024, Minnesota traded for Cam Robinson – – a 4th-rounder was the price — when Darrisaw tore his ACL, attempting to salvage the season. It won’t have to do that this time with Van Demark in the house. If he latched on a productive starter, he’d become one of the most vital Vikings players of 2026.
Next in the Countdown
The countdown is 20% complete. Here’s how we got here:
40 | Myles Price (WR)
39 | Tai Felton (WR)
38 | Demond Claiborne (RB)
37 | Caleb Tiernan (OT)
36 | Bo Richter (OLB)
35 | Theo Jackson (S)
34 | Ivan Pace Jr. (LB)
33 | Levi Drake Rodriguez (DT)
32 | Ryan Van Demark (OT)
Next on the list? Rookie cornerback Charles Demmings from Stephen F. Austin. The Vikings plucked him from Round 5 in April, and he’s the latest hope for youth at cornerback that has long eluded Minnesota.
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VikesNow Verdict: Van Demark may rarely see the field if Minnesota’s starting tackles remain healthy, but that does not diminish his importance. His experience on both sides (LT, RT) and encouraging 2025 performance give the Vikings a credible alternative if Darrisaw or O’Neill misses time.
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