Will Pat Elflein be better or worse for the Vikings in 2019?

(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Pat Elflein
(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Pat Elflein /
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(Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Pat Elflein
(Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Pat Elflein /

Better players around him

You can’t really sugar coat it; Pat Elflein was playing with a couple of turds next to him in 2018. Tom Compton and Mike Remmers were both terrible at their jobs and their subpar play seemed to have a negative effect on Elflein.

Compton was outmatched on just about every snap. Remmers at least had the excuse that he probably should’ve never been playing guard and he was much better suited to playing tackle. The fact is, they both stunk and Elflein had to feel like he had basically no help blocking the interior of the Vikings’ line.

This year Elflein won’t have that problem. He’ll have Riley Reiff on his left side, and rookie Garrett Bradbury on his right.

Reiff struggled in his own right a season ago, but he is still a well above average starting NFL left tackle. These guys will rub off on each other positively and Kirk Cousins‘ blindside will be well protected in 2019.

Bradbury is just a rookie, but this kid is technically sound, whip-smart, and very agile. He should have no problem holding his own at center in 2019 and he could even be a perennial Pro Bowler.

Having better players around him can only have a positive impact on Elflein’s play in 2019. He can relax knowing that the guys around him can handle their duties and he just has to worry about his own responsibilities.