Minnesota hasn’t addressed center in free agency, making the position one of the team's most likely targets on Day 2 of the draft.
The Minnesota Vikings had issues on the offensive line once again in 2025, but they appear to be taking a patient approach to improving the unit this offseason.
So far in free agency, the Vikings lost starting center Ryan Kelly to retirement and signed former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Ryan Van Demark to be the team's "swing tackle".
Right now, it appears Minnesota is hoping that improvement along the offensive line comes from health. The Vikings' projected five starting linemen combined to miss 22 games in 2025. Injuries to backups only made the situation worse, forcing Blake Brandel, who had played guard and tackle in his first five seasons, to start six games at center.
Christian Darrisaw, who is one of the league's top left tackles when healthy, struggled to stay healthy after returning from a torn ACL/MCL suffered in October 2024. Even though he returned in Week 3, he was in and out of the lineup the rest of the season. That left a massive void at the offensive line's most important position.
With another year removed from his injury, the expectation should be that Darrisaw is back to his pre-injury form. That should give the coaching staff confidence in his week-to-week availability, helping provide more consistent game plans.
However, one hole still remains at center. The Vikings have yet to sign anyone, leaving third-year center Michael Jurgens to battle it out with Brandel for the starting spot at this time. Jurgens posted a 54.2 PFF grade in nine total games, getting three starts.
Now that the top free agent centers have been signed, that likely means Minnesota will enter the draft in need of one. Most experts don't believe a center will be drafted in Round 1, and it's possible none will go in Round 2. But there could be several worthy prospects when the Vikings are on the clock in Round 3.
Minnesota owns two picks (82nd and 97th overall) in the third round. Mock Draft Database's Consensus Big Board and PFF both list several centers in this range.
Among these centers are Auburn's Connor Lew (67th on Consensus Big Board, 80th on PFF), Kansas State's Sam Hecht (73rd, 84th), Iowa's Logan Jones (91st, 95th), and Florida's Jake Slaughter (96th, 90th). All four prospects project as potential early contributors, giving the Vikings a chance to find a starting center with a mid-round pick.
Adding to the intrigue is that Minnesota could be adding a valuable asset without reaching for a need. These players all project well within the range of the Vikings' two third-round picks. Sure, there could be a trade up or down the board a few spots to maximize value, but it isn't like reaching for the 130th overall prospect at pick 97 just because you don't have another selection until the fifth round.
Even a conservative approach to the draft could set Minnesota up to add an immediate contributor on the offensive line on Day 2.
If they get that and a little injury luck, the Vikings’ offensive line could look much different in 2026.