The Vikings terminated the contract of guard Josh Kline, leaving some to wonder what the team’s plan is for the offseason.
Kline wasn’t dominant last season, but he was decent, and compared to others on the offensive line who could be cap casualties, this decision comes as a surprise.
Pro Football Focus reported that Kline earned a 64.7 rating out of possible 100 last season. That total ranked third among the Vikings mainstay offensive linemen in 2019-20.
Per Ben Goessling, Josh Kline’s dead money total only incurs $2.66 million, as opposed to the originally reported $4.4 million dollar sum. But the move is still a strange one, considering Kline’s level of play and how the decision doesn’t save that much money, and it leaves a hole on the offensive line, a position group the Vikings have struggled to sustain with consistency.
But let’s humor the Vikings: what is the presumptive plan for this team if Kline is moving on?
Here are some possible scenarios:
Move Riley Reiff to guard, find a tackle
This move has been suggested by some. Reiff has been decent with Minnesota, but he might be a better fit as a guard, and this is a tackle-heavy draft where the Vikings have two first-round picks.
Also, the Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer reported in February of 2019 that the Vikings were pondering a change to guard for Reiff. So maybe this is what the team is thinking in cutting Kline.
Guard Dru Samia is ready for a bigger role
Samia was highly touted when he was a draft prospect coming from the Oklahoma Sooners. His rookie season with Minnesota was 2019, where he played in just two games.
It’s hard to glean a lot from Samia’s progress in the limited time he has earned in the NFL, but maybe the Vikings know something we don’t. The team could have evaluated him in practice or elsewhere and decided that he’s ready to be a starter.
The Vikings see a guard in free agency they like
This scenario is relatively unlikely at the moment, because of the Vikings’ cap space situation. But maybe they are prioritizing a lot of what’s left in space for a guard, or maybe the team will make moves in order to free up more space.
Let’s say the Vikings are doing that. A lot of the better guards in free agency are reportedly off the table already, but there’s been no official word about Ron Leary agreeing to terms anywhere. Leary gave up just one sack last season for the Broncos, per PFF, but he only earned a rank of 58.4 out of 100 on the analytics site. Leary thrived with the Cowboys, but it seems like he’s dropped off somewhat now that he’s 30.
The Seahawks’ Mike Iupati and the 49ers’ Michael Person are also both possible options. Those two have been serviceable, but honestly, not a huge upgrade from Kline.
Kline comes back for cheaper
This one is fairly self explanatory. Kline’s contract wasn’t huge, but the Vikings are saving money, so maybe the team thought they could re-sign Kline for cheaper than what they were paying him.
This decision would be one of stability, and the Vikings offensive line, barring any good draft picks or free agency signings, would look the same to what it was in 2019-20.
The Vikings are going to draft a guard
I think of all the scenarios listed, this one is the second-most likely, with moving Reiff to guard and drafting a tackle only seeming more possible.
Kline was an average guard, and Minnesota has 12 total draft picks. Maybe the team has evaluated an interior lineman that they’re willing to take a chance on.
Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs has been projected by scouts as both a guard and a tackle, and Spielman recently talked about how he respects how well-coached former Hawkeyes can be. He could be a possible replacement to Kline or come in at tackle if Reiff, also a Hawkeyes alumnus, moves to guard.
He would be a great option and he gives Minnesota versatility by playing the interior and exterior, which could help if any offensive linemen were to suffer an injury and miss time.
There’s also Ohio State’s Jonah Jackson, who it seems might be available later than Wirfs, if Minnesota doesn’t want to spend a first-round pick on a guard. However, I think Minnesota should draft a guard sooner rather than later if that’s who they’re going to start next season. There’s no telling whether Minnesota will sign somebody, draft somebody or move current players around to replace Kline. I guess Vikings fans will have to wait and see how the offseason plays out.
