Minnesota’s offensive line improved in 2019.
The team protected Kirk Cousins a little better, and Dalvin Cook made the group look good by going for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The team lost incumbent starter Josh Kline this offseason, terminating his contract. Kline is a big loss, but there’s a possibility that a reserve from 2019 can step up in 2020, or even a rookie.
There’s plenty of potential on the offensive line — from young players who could take another step in their game, to already decent offensive linemen who can get better. I know this position group gets a bad rap among Vikings fans, and many times the criticism is valid. I still think this group is good enough to make the Vikings a contender, though.
Here are three storylines surrounding the offensive line:
Can Riley Reiff move to the interior?
The Vikings drafted Ezra Cleveland, who might be a bit of a project, but could eventually be the team’s starting tackle.
Let’s say Cleveland works his way up the depth chart and into the starting lineup. I think his best position would likely be one of the tackles, and with right tackle Brian O’Neill already being Minnesota’s best player on the offensive line, it makes the most sense to move Reiff, the team’s left tackle.
Can Reiff play guard better than he can tackle? It’s hard to say, but the Vikings might have to try him out there for the betterment of the position group.
Is Dru Samia good enough to be a starter?
Samia was drafted by the Vikings in 2019. He played in a limited role in his rookie year, but now that Kline is gone, it might be time for him to take the starting reins at right guard.
The question of whether he’s good enough will linger throughout 2020, especially if Samia looks shaky to start. Is Dakota Dozier the better player right now? Could a player like rookie Blake Brandel even come in and take the opening spot? We’re going to have to see.
Did the Vikings progress or regress on the offensive line?
The position group clearly made strides in 2019 to get better, but is this current corps better than it was the year before? I’m not so sure.
Pro Football Focus ranked the Minnesota offensive line as the 29th best in the league in 2018. In 2019, the offensive line moved up to 19th on PFF’s rankings.
Can Minnesota, after losing Kline, move up again to where the team has an above average offensive line? It would have to take excellent progress from Cleveland, and a seamless shift to guard for Reiff. The team could also try putting Cleveland at guard.
Not only that, but players like left guard Pat Elflein and center Garrett Bradbury will have to raise their games, especially in pass protection. Teams with good front sevens gave the Vikings interior offensive line a great deal of trouble last season. It will take a lot to happen for that to change in 2020.
