Who else is on the offensive line? Checking out the Vikings’ backups

With recent injuries to some of the Minnesota Vikings offensive linemen, are their backup blockers ready for prime time if called upon in 2018?

I’d love to tell Minnesota Vikings fans that things are cool within the offensive trenches, but they’re not.

Vikings center Pat Efflien, left guard Nick Easton and right guard Mike Remmers are all missing time at training camp with various injuries. More than likely, Minnesota will have to use some of their backup offensive linemen at some point in the 2018 season.

So who exactly is included in the Vikings’ understudy group of offensive linemen this year?

Aviante Collins – OT

• 25-years-old
• 6-foot-4, 292 pounds
• College: TCU
• 2017 PFF Grade:  81.7 (above average)

Collins ran the third-fastest offensive lineman 40-yard dash time and bench-pressed 225 pounds 35 times at the 2017 scouting combine, but still went undrafted. He was a surprise add to the Vikings’  roster last year.

Tom Compton – OG

• 29-years-old
• 6-foot-5, 313 pounds
• College: South Dakota
• 2017 PFF Grade: 57.7 (poor)

Drafted out of South Dakota in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, Compton has played for Washington, the Atlanta Falcons, and Chicago Bears mostly as a reserve linemen (16 career starts).

Cornelius Edison – C

• 25-years-old
• 6-foot-3, 309 pounds
• College: Portland State

Edison spent his college career at Portland State, a tiny school in downtown Portland, Oregon where Jerry Glanville–at the end of his football journey–once became head coach. Edison has been signed and cut by the Bears, Falcons and New York Giants since entering the NFL in 2015.

He was added to the Vikings’ practice squad in September of 2017 and then later signed to the active roster in December.

Danny Isidora – OG

• 24-years-old
• 6-foot-3, 306 pounds
• College: Miami (Florida)
• 2017 PFF Grade: 43.4 (poor)

Isidora joined Minnesota in last season after the team selected him in the fifth of the 2017 draft. Vikings wide receiver (and fellow Miami alum) Stacey Coley said of Isidora upon the draft, “he’s going to shock the world.” So far, that has not happened yet.

Minnesota Vikings

Brian O’Neill – OT (Rookie)

• 22-years-old
• 6-foot-7, 297 pounds
• College: Pittsburgh

After originally arriving to Pittsburgh as a tight end, O’Neill switched to the offensive line in 2015 and stuck with the position ever since. The rookie is long and fast (4.82 40-time), and the Vikings have him doing serious work to bulk up in the weight room.

He’s going to need more than just added weight when he tangles with opposing NFL defensive ends in 2018. O’Neill has real talent, but he is not the guy Minnesota should want to open the upcoming season as a starter.

There you have it Vikings fans, these are the guys that may see the field for Minnesota in 2018.

It may very well work out that the Vikings’ injured starters on the offensive line will return to the field by Week 1 and have an excellent year protecting new Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins.

But for those who clearly remember the Vikings’ 2016 season, those injuries create quite the opportunity to do a little panicking.