Tag: Brian O’Neill

2025 NFL Free Agency: Projected value of Cam Robinson’s next contract

With starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw returning to Minnesota next season, is there room for Cam Robinson on the Vikings in 2025?

The Minnesota Vikings have many difficult questions to answer this offseason before they prepare for the 2025 season. One that no one wants to think about is, “Will Cam Robinson be back in Minnesota for 2025?”

Robinson was put in a tough spot during the 2024 season. He started the season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team he had spent his entire career with up to this point. Through some poor play, injuries, and other extenuating circumstances, Robinson had fallen out of favor with the Jaguars’ decision-makers, and found himself benched. After that, it had become clear his time in Jacksonville would be coming to an end sooner rather than later.

Luckily for Robinson, the Vikings had a need for someone at the position after starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw blew out his knee and was lost for the season. Minnesota got on the phone with Jacksonville, and Robinson was traded just days after his benching.

Robinson filled in admirably for Darrisaw during his time with the Vikings. He wasn’t spectacular, and he sure wasn’t up to the caliber that Darrisaw had set for the Vikings, but he was solid. There were a lot of issues with the Vikings offensive line in 2024, but tackle play generally wasn’t one of them.

Unfortunately for Robinson, he finds himself outside looking in with the Vikings. Robinson is schedule to hit free agency, and with Darrisaw ostensibly coming back next season and right tackle Brian O’Neill being named to the Pro Bowl, it’s hard to imagine Robinson back in Purple and Gold.

The team at Spotrac projects Robinson to sign a three-year deal for an average of $14 million per year. That would be a slight downgrade from the $17 million per year that Robinson played under during his last contract, but would still put him in the top half of starting left tackles in the league.

It’s hard to imagine the Vikings — even with their significant amount of cap space heading into free agency — being willing to pay that much for a player who will likely be relegated to the bench when Darrisaw returns.

However, it’s not completely out of the question. Robinson was solid, if not spectacular, as a fill-in for Darrisaw. If Darrisaw suffers a setback in his rehab and isn’t ready to go at the start of the season, there may be a scenario in which Robinson comes back to the Vikings. That money may be hard to swallow for Vikings’ brass, but they may not have many better options.

Vikings OT Brian O’Neill named to the 2025 Pro Bowl games

Brian O’Neill is the latest Minnesota Viking to be selected to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games.

Several Minnesota Vikings received recognition after they finished 14-3 in 2024. Six players were voted to the initial 2025 Pro Bowl roster. With Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson playing in the Super Bowl, the Vikings have another player going to the Pro Bowl Games.

Right tackle Brian O’Neill will take Johnson’s place, giving the Vikings seven players total. His 80.8 PFF grade was tied as the 12th-highest among all tackles in 2024, and he was credited with only allowing two sacks.

It’s O’Neill’s first Pro Bowl invitation since being drafted in 2018. He likely would have been joined by fellow tackle Christian Darrisaw had the left tackle not torn his ACL in October.

The Vikings enter a pivotal offseason to improve the interior offensive line. But they can find comfort in knowing that they have a Pro Bowl tackle at right tackle and a blossoming left tackle in Darrisaw.

The Pro Bowl Games begin Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7 PM ET on ESPN and NFL+.

 

Brian O’Neill injury vs. Rams: Latest news on Vikings OT

In a disappointing Wild Card performance, the Minnesota Vikings have lost starting right tackle Brian O’Neill to an undisclosed injury.

Not much has gone right for the Minnesota Vikings in their Wild Card matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. History is repeating itself at the worst possible time. The Vikings started their season with a five-game win streak, then lost consecutive games against the Lions and Rams.

After those losses, the Vikings reeled off nine straight wins before again losing to the Lions. Now, with 12 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, it looks like the Vikings are on their way to losing, embarrassingly, to the Rams once again.

To add insult to injury, the Vikings have lost their starting right tackle, Brian O’Neill, at the start of the fourth quarter. On a scramble by quarterback Sam Darnold, O’Neill appeared to take a shot to the head from Rams’ EDGE rusher Jared Verse.

Brian O’Neill injury update

After the blow to the head, O’Neill was looked at by the Vikings’ training staff and was able to leave the field under his own power. After being evaluated in the medical tent on the sidelines, O’Neill was seen heading back to the Vikings’ locker room, ostensibly for further evaluation.

How long will O’Neill be out?

According to Vikings’ beat writer Ben Goessling, O’Neill is being evaluated for a concussion. If O’Neill is cleared, he should return to the game. If not, he’ll be out for the remainder of the game — and what looks like the Vikings’ season.

Vikings offensive line depth chart

With O’Neill out of the game and back in the team’s locker room, reserve offensive tackle David Quessenberry has stepped in to take over right tackle duties. Quessenberry has seen action in several games for the Vikings this season on both sides of the line.

5 takeaways from the Vikings win over the Bears on Monday Night

The Minnesota Vikings had a lot to play for, and they put their foot to the floor and never let up after a strong first half. Brian Flores had Caleb Williams in pieces mentally from the pressure and coverage they were giving him. On offense, Kevin …

The Minnesota Vikings had a lot to play for, and they put their foot to the floor and never let up after a strong first half. Brian Flores had Caleb Williams in pieces mentally from the pressure and coverage they were giving him. On offense, Kevin O’Connell and Wes Phillips used a trial-and-error approach before finding some footing.

Either way, you look, the tone was set in the first quarter, and the Vikings never looked back as the Bears had no chance.

The Bears were held scoreless in the first half, and in the second half, they could never find the endzone. The Vikings played for a lot on Monday Night, and they delivered for everyone from Randy Moss to their fans.

Here are five takeaways from the one-sided meeting between the Vikings and Bears on Monday night.

Brian Flores saw what the Bears and Caleb Williams gave him in their first matchup, and he must have said to himself, “That is not happening again.” He shut out the Bears offense in the first half and smothered them in pressures all game. He also dominated them on third down and was able to force turnovers to leave Caleb Williams and this offense feeling lost from the first whistle. Flores is in his bag right now, and the Vikings will be lucky to keep him on staff in 2025.

When Brian O’Neill left the game, we saw the pressure immediately come from the Bears’ front seven. The team cannot overcome an injured Brian O’Neill this late in the season, so it is paramount that if he does miss time, they figure something out. Whether it be they line up Johnny Mundt or Nick Muse on that edge to help David Quessenberry out or give Sam Darnold more safety valves. Either way, this offensive line has proven to be more important than the quarterback because without one you can’t have the other.

Both members of the turnover dance duo, Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus, are set to be free agents in 2025. The Vikings can afford one high-price safety, but can they afford two? Metellus is playing at a Pro Bowl level in 2024, and his versatility only increases his value. It will be interesting to see how he performs down the stretch because he is getting paid, but by whom?

The Brian Flores defense came into Week 15, leading the NFL with a 39% blitz rate. That aggressive defense allows for the offense to be aggressive. The defense is forcing turnovers and stopping teams on third downs, and when you have that, the offense can take more chances. The Vikings went for it more on fourth down; they are pushing the ball down the field, and being able to do those things against the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles can make a difference in those expected playoff matchups.

The offense struggled in the first half and into the third, but everything settled down once they started leaning on Aaron Jones. They were using him at running back, receiver, and even tight end in certain alignments including one that saw him convert a third and 16 on a run after the catch. Sam Darnold is great, the wide receivers are elite, and they have a top five tight end but it is the veteran running back who makes all the difference in the world for this offense.

Brian O’Neill injury vs. Bears: Latest news on Vikings RT

The Minnesota Vikings’ offense took a blow in the first half against the Chicago Bears with an injury to right tackle Brian O’Neill.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

The Minnesota Vikings came into their Week 15 Monday Night Football matchup against division rivals the Chicago Bears with a golden opportunity. With a win, they would control their own destiny in the NFC playoff picture thanks to the Detroit Lions’ loss on Sunday to the Buffalo Bills.

In the first half, the Vikings came out like a team, fully aware of the magnitude of their situation. The defense came out and stonewalled the Bears’ offense early, forcing an early turnover on downs and coming away with a strip sack and recovery on consecutive possessions. Throw in a Justin Jefferson touchdown and a couple of field goals, and it all amounts to a 13-0 lead at the half.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, it’s not all good news, as they appear to have lost their starting right tackle, Brian O’Neill, to a leg injury.

Brian O’Neill injury update

O’Neill was initially injured in the first quarter after a running play to Aaron Jones. O’Neill was looked at on the field by the training staff, but was able to leave the field under his own power. He was evaluated in the blue medical tent for a few minutes and then returned to the game.

O’Neill’s return was short-lived, however, as he would leave the game again a couple of minutes before halftime. This time, O’Neill went straight to the locker room to be further evaluated by the Vikings’ training staff. He is back in the game once again, but we will monitor his injury.

How long will O’Neill be out?

It appeared that O’Neill was going to be okay when he came back into the game after the initial injury. O’Neill only missed a handful of plays at first and came back looking like nothing was wrong. Needing to leave the game a second time certainly isn’t a good sign, but as of now, he is back in the game once again, and we will monitor his injury.

Vikings offensive tackle depth chart

With O’Neill out, the right tackle duties will fall on long-time swing tackle David Quessenberry. Quessenberry has already had plenty of playing time this season, filling in on the left side for injured left tackle Christian Darrisaw prior to the Vikings’ acquisition of former Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson.

Vikings still in top 10 of NFL analyst’s latest power rankings

After losing back-to-back games and left tackle Christian Darrisaw, for the season, the Minnesota Vikings are falling down power rankings.

To say that things have not gone the Minnesota Vikings’ way this past week would be an understatement. The team has lost two games in the span of a week after winning their first five. They were a miraculous Hail Mary in Washington away from going from first to last in the division. Worst of all, they’ve lost their star left tackle for the remainder of the season.

All of that combined has led to a dramatic drop in the latest NFL power rankings from The Sporting News’ NFL analyst Vinnie Iyer. Despite the loss last week, the Vikings were still sitting in Iyer’s top 3 coming into this week. Now, after back-to-back losses and the Vikings’ defense looking uncharacteristically bad in both — along with the loss of Christian Darrisaw — the Vikings have fallen to the 9th spot.

That six-place drop was matched only by the Baltimore Ravens, who fell from the fourth spot to the 10th, and surpassed by the New York Jets, who fell from the 23rd spot to the 30th.

If there’s any consolation for the Vikings and their fans amid this rough stretch, the team’s schedule gets a lot easier in the next few weeks. After tough games against both the Lions and the Rams, the Vikings get the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans in their next three games.

Minnesota has a lot to work out on the defense, as that has been the biggest pain point these past two weeks. They’re also going to need to figure out what they’re going to do in the wake of the Darrisaw injury, whether that’s rolling with David Quessenberry, shifting Blake Brandel over to tackle, moving Brian O’Neill over to the left side of the line, or signing a free agent offensive tackle.

Fortunately, these next three weeks should afford them time to work out those kinks. However, nothing comes easy in the NFL, and Minnesota can’t overlook these next three opponents.

Lions lose Aidan Hutchinson for the season ahead of Vikings matchup

The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions faceoff for the first time on Sunday with the top of the division at stake.

The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions face off for the first time on Sunday, with the top of the division at stake. Unfortunately for the Lions, they will have to compete without their top defensive star.

On Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, Aidan Hutchinson suffered a gruesome leg injury that resulted in emergency surgery. The surgery was to repair a broken tibia and he will miss the remainder of the 2024 season.

That means the Lions’ top pass rusher will be gone for the season, which is currently 4-1. The Minnesota Vikings and the NFL never want to see a player get seriously hurt the way Hutchinson did. The league never stops moving, so the game this weekend will, of course, go ahead, but it also means the jobs for Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill will be adjusted.

They will have to gameplan much less for James Houston or Alim McNeil than for Hutchinson. This means that Wes Phillips and Kevin O’Connell can gameplan without worrying about the former Rookie of the Year.

The ripple effect will be felt throughout the season, but it starts this Sunday against the Vikings.

Former NFL offensive lineman praises the work of Vikings OL group

The entire world could learn from the bond that offensive linemen have with their groups and with other linemen around the league.

The entire world could learn from offensive linemen’s bond with their groups and other linemen around the league. They are constantly looking to help each other improve and make each person’s career last forever within the NFL.

Because of that, they continue to hype up other offensive lineman groups even after they exit the league.

A.Q. Shipley, a 12-year NFL veteran, has made his offensive linemen rankings a constant on The Pat McAfee Show. On Wednesday, he ranked the current offensive line groups, and the former NFL lineman gave the Vikings a glowing one.

“The Minnesota Vikings offensive line has been doing an unbelievable job. . . They’ve been blocking the (blank) out of people.”

He ranked them fourth overall in the NFL, and for good reason. Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill have done a great job of sealing the edges for Sam Darnold. Blake Brandel has been playing out of his mind this year, Ed Ingram has been consistent, and Garrett Bradbury has held up well despite being banged up.

The group as a whole is a major reason this team is undefeated at 4-0 heading into Week 5. Not to mention, they have kept Sam Darnold upright, and it has allowed him to play at an MVP-like level.

PFF views Vikings offensive line as borderline top-10

Pro Football Focus wasn’t friendly toward the Vikings defensive line, but they have more respect for the Minnesota offensive line.

Pro Football Focus does not like the Vikings defensive line heading into 2024, but it respects the other side of the football. Ranking all 32 offensive lines in football, PFF says Minnesota has the 13th-best offensive line in the NFL.

Although left tackle Christian Darrisaw was not able to replicate his breakout 2022 campaign, he still finished 2023 as the third-highest-graded offensive tackle in pass protection despite battling injuries.

While the interior trio of Dalton Risner, Garrett Bradbury and Ed Ingram is average at best, the offensive tackle duo of Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill makes the Vikings’ line an above-average unit.

Darrisaw and O’Neill make up one of the best young duos at tackle. Darrisaw will eventually sign an extension with Minnesota that will make him one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the game. The concern is the guard spot.

The Vikings re-signed Dalton Risner, but the Minnesota brass has full confidence in unproven left guard Blake Brandel. It sounds like he will be given all the chances to start there, and Risner will compete with Ed Ingram at right guard.

Either way, Minnesota can potentially have a top-10 offensive line this season.

Vikings offensive line received high PFF grade for 2023 season

No matter who starts at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, they’ll have one of the best pass-blocking units in the NFL in front of them.

The Minnesota Vikings head into the 2024 season with some significant question marks at the quarterback position. Former first-round pick Sam Darnold heads into training camp as the starter and the odds-on favorite to take the first snaps for the team during the regular season.

The Vikings drafted Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th-overall selection, and he will take over the reins at some point, it’s just a matter of when.

No matter who’s at the helm, they’re going to need a solid offensive line in front of them if they’re going to have any chance of success. Luckily for Darnold and McCarthy, they’ve landed in one of the best spots possible.

According to the PFF team, the Vikings’ offensive line finished the 2023 season as the third-ranked unit in pass blocking. Only the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens had better pass-blocking grades than the Vikings.

The unit, anchored by left tackle Christian Darrisaw, finished the season with a pass-blocking grade of 74.4, just 0.01 behind the second-ranked Baltimore Ravens. For his efforts, Darrisaw achieved a pass-blocking grade of 85.3, a good score for third among all 81 offensive tackles league-wide.

Opposite Darrisaw, right tackle Brian O’Neill came in with a pass-blocking grade of 73.4, good for 25th out of 81 offensive tackles.

On the interior of the offensive line, guards Dalton Risner and Ed Ingram notched pass-blocking grades of 67.4 and 60.9, respectively, good for 20th and 35th out of 71 offensive guards. Center Garrett Bradbury – who missed three games due to injury in 2023 – finished the year with a pass-block grade of 56.8, good for 19th out of the 38 qualifying centers in the league.