Minnesota Vikings: 5 training camp battles to watch in 2020
By Luke Parrish
Minnesota Vikings Battle No. 1: Left Guard
The biggest hole on the Vikings as things stand right now is their left guard spot.
Pat Elflein has not been a stable piece on the offensive line, and it appears his time as a starter has come to an end. The Vikings selected Ezra Cleveland in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and there have been talks of him sliding inside to guard for this season.
Another option could be to play Cleveland at tackle and slide Riley Reiff inside to guard. Of course, Reiff is also set to make a ton of money in 2020 and could be a cap casualty by the end of training camp. He has veteran experience on the line but may not take kindly to changing positions at this point in his career.
2019 fourth-round pick Dru Samia is another option after he essentially redshirted his rookie season. Samia was a fun prospect when he was coming out of Oklahoma, and he has the tools to fit this Vikings offense. If they want to keep Cleveland at tackle and get rid of Reiff’s contract, Samia is probably the best option.
The final option, and one that is very unlikely, is Elflein returning as the starter after a strong camp. This is the battle to watch throughout the summer, as the Vikings could go a number of different directions.