Tag: Garrett Bradbury

Two Vikings didn’t miss a snap during the the 2024 season

There were two Vikings who played every snap during the 2024 season, joining only seven other players across the league to do so.

The NFL season is a grind, especially now that the league has expanded to 17 games. Players deal with aches and pains, even if they aren’t showing up on the injury report and missing games.

But not every player can be on the field for every snap of a season. Injuries and personnel packages make it difficult for any player to have a chance of playing all 1,000-plus snaps.

According to Greg Auman of Fox Sports, only nine offensive players played the entire 2024 NFL season without missing a snap. Two of those were Vikings left guard Blake Brandel and center Garrett Bradbury. They played all 1,117 snaps.

Brandel, in his fifth season, became a full-time starter in 2024. Although Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks him 64th out of 77 guards, he has been reliable in availability. It should be noted that right guard Ed Ingram was replaced for on-field performance, not Brandel. He also played all 90 snaps on the field goal team.

Bradbury is ranked 29th of 43 centers, but his grasp of the playbook and offensive line calls make him the most important player on the offensive line. He will never make an All-Pro appearance, but Bradbury’s availability kept the Vikings from being forced to put Dan Feeney or rookie Michael Jurgens in the lineup during their first years with the team.

The other seven players on the list were also offensive linemen. It makes sense for a few reasons. First, teams usually activate only seven or eight linemen for games. So even if a game gets out of hand, teams can’t pull their entire line.

Second, offensive linemen usually don’t get substituted in and out of lineups during a game. Most other positions have different personnel packages requiring different players or positions to combat certain situations.

The Vikings had three other players who played at least 1,000 snaps on offense. This included Sam Darnold (1,110), Brian O’Neill (1,100), and Justin Jefferson played (1,043).

Linebacker groups health highlights Wednesday’s injury report

With Jacksonville next on the slate, the Vikings saw three impact players sit out of Wednesday’s practice.

Minnesota will travel to Jacksonville for its next game. The Vikings released their first injury report on Wednesday ahead of the Jaguars’ game and Minnesota had three players not practice.

Linebackers Ivan Pace Jr., Andrew VanGinkel, and center Garrett Bradbury were all OUT. But both Bradbury and VanGinkel didn’t practice due to rest. However, Pace Jr. was listed OUT with a knee injury.

Linebacker Blake Cashman was back in practice but was on a limited basis. Cashman hasn’t played in the last two games, but the Vikings could really use his presence on the field in the coming weeks. Both Akayleb Evans and Gabriel Murphy were listed as limited as well.

Tight end Josh Oliver and safety Theo Jackson were both full participants. Oliver is progressing with his wrist, while Jackson’s hand is progressing, allowing them both to log full practices on Wednesday.

It will be essential to monitor the injury report as Sunday approaches.

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.

Vikings LB Andrew Van Ginkel pops up Vikings injury report for Week 2

A notable name popped up on their first injury report for Week 2: Andrew Van Ginkel.

The Minnesota Vikings have remained relatively healthy through the first week of the 2024 season. They went into Week 1 with no Vikings players on their final injury report, but fast-forward to the first report of the new week, and they aren’t so lucky.

A notable name popped up on their first injury report for Week 2: Andrew Van Ginkel.

The top performer of their dominant Week 1 win made the report as someone who did not practice. He is listed with a foot injury, and no other context or updates were provided at the time of publication.

Other names on the list include Jalen Nailor and his ankle injury that was on the report for some reports last week. Two other starters also made the list in Jordan Addison and Garrett Bradbury with not practicing and being limited, respectively.

Addison is another notable name that will be worth monitoring as we get closer to Sunday. For Van Ginkel, however, he is going to be necessary as missing him would be a monumental loss to the Vikings’ defense.

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.

Where did PFF rank Garrett Bradbury among the other centers in the NFL?

Pro Football Focus ranked its top centers heading into the 2024 season. Garrett Bradbury came in almost right in the middle.

Garrett Bradbury has been the Vikings’ starting center since he was drafted 18th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft out of NC State. Minnesota was looking for its next decade-long starting center, and so far, Bradbury has started them all. But the former Rimington Trophy Award-winner has had some down moments while wearing purple and gold. Injuries have nagged Bradbury, causing him to have missed 10 games over the past three seasons. He has sometimes struggled in pass blocking because he is a touch undersized.

But according to Pro Football Focus, Bradbury is a middle-of-the-pack center. PFF ranked him 15th in its top-32 center rankings.

As a former first-round pick, Bradbury has been the Vikings’ starting center since day one but has struggled to stay healthy in the past three seasons. Despite his pass-blocking grade dropping to 56.8 in 2023, he has averaged a 68.5 run-blocking grade over the past four seasons.

Bradbury signed a three-year extension with Minnesota, and the hopes are that the Vikings can keep him around for quite a while, holding down the center spot. Minnesota is still working on a contract extension with tackle Christian Darrisaw to try and keep the Vikings’ line together as one of the top offensive lines in football.

Two Vikings make the 2024 NFL Pro Bowl, six are alternates

Two players will represent the Minnesota Vikings at the 2024 Pro Bowl Games while six others were honored as alternates.

The NFL recently unveiled their 2024 NFL Pro Bowl Games with the following Minnesota Vikings making the cut:

  • OLB Danielle Hunter
  • LS Andrew DePaola

The Vikings also have six alternates, ranging from first to fourth at their respective positions.

The number of players may seem lower than usual, especially with wide receiver Justin Jefferson not being a part of the festivities due to injury. However, the Vikings are well-represented in that those who were selected, alternate or otherwise, certainly deserved it.

Here are the 2024 representatives (and alternates) for your Vikings.

5 areas of concern exposed in Vikings 30-24 loss to the Lions

Chris Spooner takes a look at five areas of concern that Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions exposed heading into the final weeks of the season and into the offseason.

Just like that, the Minnesota Vikings hopes of winning the NFC North were dashed. Instead of a Christmas miracle, the Vikings were handed a lump of coal with their 30-24 loss on Christmas Eve to the Detroit Lions. With the loss, Minnesota was eliminated from contention for the division title, and the Lions clinched their first division title since before the NFC North was even in existence.

The Vikings did a lot of things right in this game. Quarterback Nick Mullens was throwing the ball all over the field and notched his first career game with more than 400 yards passing. Minnesota was able to hold the Lions running game largely in check, and they made some big plays throughout the game when they needed it.

Unfortunately, as has been the case for much of the season, it was the unforced errors that ultimately doomed the Vikings. Mullens was doing his best impression of a baker out there, handing out turnovers left and right. He had four interceptions on the day, and could have easily walked out of there with a couple more.

He also had two plays where he narrowly avoided fumbling the ball. A four-turnover game was almost a blessing considering how much worse it could have been.

The turnover issues have been a theme throughout the season, but there were a lot of other areas of concern that this game exposed. Areas that have been a concern all season, but have largely been masked or glossed over in one way or another. Let’s take a look at five of those areas of concern that the loss against the Detroit Lions exposed.

Studs and duds from Vikings 27-24 loss vs. Bengals

The studs and dus from Satuday’s loss to the Bengals were rather obvious, especially the studs

The Minnesota Vikings played at the Cincinnati Bengals for the second time in the last three years and lost by the same 27-24 score after turning the ball over in overtime.

In 2021, the Vikings fumbled the ball away when driving in enemy territory. In 2023, it was failing twice in a row on the tush push. The frustration from the loss had Fire KOC trending on Twitter.

It’s fair to be frustrated, as the Vikings blew a 14-point lead they entered the fourth quarter with despite playing really well on offense.

Saturday’s edition of studs and duds highlight some impressive performances and others that cratered the chance at a victory.

7 Vikings make top 10 of Pro Bowl voting

The Vikings have been popular in the Pro Bowl voting through the first week

The Minnesota Vikings currently sit at 6-6 this season heading into week 14 against the Las Vegas Raiders. They have had some standout performances this season and have won multiple Player of the Week awards and a Player of the Month award as well.

Earlier this week, Chris Spooner took a look at seven different Vikings players who deserve a Pro Bowl berth and there are more who could be headed to the games the week before the Super Bowl.

Through a week of voting, the Vikings have seven players in the top 10 of their position.