Vikings Have Plethora of Free Agent Guards to Choose From

The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of questions heading into the offseason. Whether J.J. McCarthy will be the starting quarterback and if they can retain Byron Murphy are probably the first things on the minds of fans, but there’s an equally important discussion surrounding the guard position.

Blake Brandel is locked down at left guard for at least one more season, but he underperformed in what was his first year as a full-time starter. At right guard, Ed Ingram started the year for the Vikings. He was benched in favor of Dalton Risner in Week 11, though. At the time of his benching, the second-round pick Ingram ranked 60th in PFF pass blocking out of the 62 guards who played at least 300 snaps up to that point.

The expectation is that Ingram will be released this offseason, avoiding his $3.4 million cap hit. Risner is a free agent and will likely not be resigned. Although Brandel started all 17 games, he has failed to register a PFF grade above 56 for any season in his career. With over $63 million in cap space, the expectation is that Minnesota will bring in some reinforcements at guard through free agency.

Top free agent guards for Minnesota Vikings to consider

The biggest name to watch is Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith. ESPN ranks him as the No. 2 free agent this offseason. The Minnesota Vikings’ struggles at the position make him a no-brainer for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

The problem with that? Trey Smith is projected to become the highest paid guard in the league, garnering upwards of $20 million a year. The price tag is no doubt worth it, as you’d be acquiring a 6-foot-6, 321-pound force who’s only 25 years old. But it’d be very surprising if Adofo-Mensah spent much effort signing him, especially when teams like the Bears have more cap space and are in pursuit.

Will Fries might be a smarter choice for the Colts. His 86.9 PFF grade is fourth-best at guard, higher than Smith. But he fractured his tibia in Week 5 and missed the rest of the year. There’s also Tevin Jenkins from the Bears. Chicago allowed the most sacks this season, yet Jenkins ranked top 20 in run and pass protection. However, he’s never played a full 17-game season.

The Minnesota Vikings can also look towards established veterans, such as the Lions’ Kevin Zeitler, the Jaguars’ Brandon Scherff or the Cowboys’ Zack Martin. All three of these guys will be in their mid-30s when the season starts, but that usually means a cheaper price.

The best fit for MN

All the names mentioned make sense for the Vikings. But to get true production from their guards, they need players who fit their scheme and cover weaknesses. The offensive line is in their mid-to-late 20s. Keeping this age range will help keep the group together for next season and beyond.

First, consider Patrick Mekari from the Ravens. He supported Derrick Henry’s 1,921 rushing yards (2nd in the league) and Lamar Jackson’s 4,172 passing yards (6th). Baltimore had the top offense in yards per game with Mekari’s versatility on the line. He’s played all five positions and is only 27. This versatility will help the injury-prone Vikings.

If the Vikings can sign Mekari cheaply, they could chase Mekhi Becton from the Eagles. Becton switched from tackle to guard this year, adding flexibility. He aided Saquon Barkley’s league-leading 2,005 rushing yards. Becton’s size is impressive at 6-foot-7, 363 pounds.

While getting a veteran on a one or two-year deal might be smart for depth purposes, you typically don’t want to rely on them for your multi-season rebuild. Additionally, Minnesota struggled in the run game this past season, so acquiring guards from the top two rushing offenses in the NFL would be a smart decision. Then, they will just need to find a running to run behind them.