2023 Offensive Line Discussion

According to Wolfson, O'Neill is out of his boot, and trending to be ready for start of camp (and ultimately the season opener).

Ingram will get a second year, and I expect a reasonable amount of improvement. I think we saw some of that as the season progressed as is... Cleveland may take a step forward, but I'm not holding my breath. I do expect them to take a developmental guard pick to step in and replace Cleveland in FA or Ingram if there's no improvement... that's my guess at least.

Bradburry will likely be around this year for certain. Any kind of improvement will likely keep him around for the remainder of his contract. It's cheap.

I know this title of the thread is "2023" OL Discussion, but if we take a peek at the OL players that are under contract for 2024, you can see the cupboard isn't exactly fully stocked after this upcoming season...

Viking OL Under Contract for 2024:

LT Christian Darrisaw (yr 4 of rookie contract)
OC Garrett Bradbury (yr 2 of 3-yr extension)
RG Ed Ingram (yr 3 of rookie contract)
RT Brian O'Neill (yr 3 of 5-yr extension)
OT Blake Brandel (technially will be RFA after '23, so it's relatively easy to bring him back)
OT Vederian Lowe (yr 3 of rookie contract)

What's missing is a starting LG and backup IOL players, and while backup IOL players typically don't "bust" cap space, it might not be a bad idea to use a 2023 Day 3 Draft pick on a developmental IOL player that has versatility playing all along the interior, especially if we trade back in Round 1 to pick up an extra Day 3 pick (or if we trade Dalvin for a Day 3 pick in the 2023 Draft)...

Some 2023 Draft Day 3 options for IOL developmental players:

- UCLA IOL Jon Gaines II: 6'4", 305 lbs, 33"+ arms - he first got my attention earlier in the Draft season when he appeared on "winners" lists for the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and then the East-West Shrine Bowl. And then he ran a 4.45 short-shuttle at the Combine and I believe he was the only OL prospect to get under the magic 4.47 number that is used as a gauge of good NFL OL prospects. He's very intelligent (received offers from Ivy League schools and initially committed to Princeton before flipping to UCLA at last minute; also graduated with a degree in political science in just 3 yrs and has his Master's). He played primarily RG/OC for UCLA but had a few starts at LG/RT, too. He's quick, but when you look at his frame he is a big "top-heavy" and can get pushed back, which is why he's a developmental IOL player that needs to work on some IOL fundamentals, but he's a solid prospect that might be available in Round 5.

- UCLA IOL Atonio Mafi: 6'2", 329 lbs, 32 5/8" arms - a teammate of Gaines and a bit more of an IOL "frame" being shorter and bulkier. Recruited as a DT and played on the DL for his first 2 seasons at UCLA before flipping to IOL during JR year and finding success playing both RG/LG (received 2nd team All-PAC-12 honors in 2022 which is impressive considering he doesn't have a great deal of IOL experience). Like Gaines, he was a big winner during East-West Shrine Bowl week. With his frame, he might only be a developmental OG for teams that run a bunch of gap/power-based schemes, but I have read several reports of him moving well so if the Vikings continue to run a bunch of inside zone w/ less outside zone, Mafi could fit.

- E Michigan LG Sidy Sow: 6'4", 323 lbs, 33" arms - Quebec native and originally a DL in high school, but converted to OL at Eastern Michigan. Played LT in 2018, but then kicked inside to LG for his remaining 4 years and earned 1st Team All-MAC in '21 and '22, impressive considering he was a DL in high school. Turned heads at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in January and received a Combine invite where he turned in a 9.72 RAS, so although some might think of him as more of a gap/power-scheme only blocker, his RAS performance might indicate he might have the athleticism to play in flexible schemes that utilize some outside zone.

I dont see how that really relates? Just because you started bad you cant grow? Disagree there. Depends on if he wants to put in the work, like most prospects.

Let me put it another way, if you have a rookie guard giving up the most pressures in franchise history versus a rookie guard who gave up the 18th fewest this year, which one would you say had the higher ceiling?  The one starting out at bottom who needs to work at even being serviceable, or the one who is already a solid contributor and who is working towards being one of the best in the NFL?

Ability is just as limiting of a factor as talent, and it isn't like Ingram is even an exceptional talent. He was a Day 3 talent picked on Day 2 and you combine that with his lack of ability and it limits his ceiling significantly. As evidenced by his terrible play last season.