The Minnesota Vikings love potential free agents. Or rather, as Douglas Adams might say, they love the whooshing sound they make as they pass by.
As we sit and wait for Minnesota to add another backup edge rusher, another position in need of a boost saw a potential addition come and go. After getting medically cleared for training camp, the Baltimore Ravens quickly scooped up veteran center Ethan Pocic on a modest one-year, $4.5 million deal, further confirming that the Vikings plan to roll with Blake Brandel in 2026.
Pocic was available for a reasonable price and previously played for the Seattle Seahawks, overlapping with Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley for five seasons. Center is clearly the weakest link on Minnesota’s line, and Pocic would have gone a long way towards strengthening that. It seemed like a clear match, at least on paper.
Instead, Pocic joins the heap of free-agent centers that the Vikings have passed over. Lloyd Cushenberry and Luke Fortner, both with significant starting experience, each signed for even less than Pocic earlier this offseason. The Vikings are clearly pushing all their chips in on Brandel. Is it time fans do the same?
Blake Brandel came to the rescue last year after starter Ryan Kelly couldn’t stay healthy, slotting in at center despite never playing the position in the NFL. He had a respectable 61.4 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade, but still ranked as the 28th center in 2025. Apparently the Vikings have seen enough, though, as they continue to pass on arguably more secure options.
Behind Brandel sits two seventh-round draft picks in Michael Jurgens and rookie Gavin Gerhardt. The trio combines for less than 1,000 career snaps at center, leaving it as one of the least experienced groups on the roster. But where fans see concern, the Vikings see, at minimum, sufficient room.
“Again, we’re fortunate,” offensive line coach Keith Carter told the Vikings Entertainment Network about the center position. “We have Blake [Brandel] who has played and started I think now every position up front, which in this league is unheard of.”
“And then you’ve got Jurgens,” he continued, “who is getting better and better.”
Minnesota has always boasted about Brandel’s versatility, but now they are hoping he can find a home at center. It’s an odd move to say the least. Up to this point, Brandel’s value has entirely been tied to his ability to seamlessly slide in at any position at any time. Taking away that versatility and anchoring him to center is either an uplifting sign or a sign of desperation.
The Vikings passed on nearly every possible starting option in the draft and free agency, hinting that they look at Brandel as more than just a last resort. They’ve had every opportunity to replace him and send him back to his “first man off the bench” role, but went all-in at center instead.
“They asked me what I thought about it, and I was all for it,” Brandel said about the switch. “I just want to play. I love football, and I love playing the game. Any opportunity I get to play the game.”
“I had a couple bad snaps last year, so grinding on that throughout the offseason was huge,” said Brandel at OTAs. “Everything is still relatively new. But I feel like I’m on the right track.”
Brandel skied a snap or two over 6’5” Carson Wentz’s helmet in 2025. Still, a full offseason practicing the position should help limit those miscues.
Perhaps Brandel’s best attribute in Minnesota’s eyes has been his health. After limping through last season, the offensive line could use another ironman. Brandel fits the bill as one of two Vikings players who were in the huddle for every offensive snap in 2024.
It’s clear that Brandel has the chops to play center and wouldn’t be a liability. The question shouldn’t be whether he can handle the starting center duties. Brandel will be just fine, and Minnesota has repeatedly emphasized that belief with their inaction. The eventual concern is that the team is effectively stripping Brandel of his versatility, which is his greatest value to the team.
With a healthy supporting cast, there’s little doubt Brandel will be sufficient at center. The Vikings also added free agent Ryan Van Demark to fill the recently vacated swing tackle role. Theoretically, Brandel could still side out in the case of more injuries while Jurgens moves up to center.
Ultimately, it’s obvious the Vikings think moving the 29-year-old Blake Brandel permanently inside is the best move for him and the team. Let’s hope Kyler Murray doesn’t have any issues with his new 6’7” center.
