5 Vikings offensive players on the bubble entering training camp

Brett Jones – OL

The Vikings traded for Brett Jones late in the 2018 preseason. Minnesota brought Jones in to provide some veteran depth at both center and guard. While he has the experience, he has never provided much of anything for the offense during his two years in purple.

Jones has played in a total of just 192 of the Vikings offensive snaps since he arrived in 2018, including three starts. He didn’t exactly play well in those contests as he often allowed pressure up the middle and he found trouble opening up lanes for Minnesota’s running backs.

Despite Jones’ lack of playing time and his poor performances, the Vikings seem to love keeping this guy around. Perhaps it’s his versatility that keeps him on the roster, otherwise, it is a complete mystery why he’s still on the team. This year, Jones will have to earn his spot on Minnesota’s roster.

The Vikings have Garrett Bradbury in his second season as the team’s starting center and they are expecting a big jump in his performance in year two. Pat Elflein can be Minnesota’s primary backup at center, and while his play hasn’t been much better than Jones’, he has started plenty of games at the position and he is still an effective run blocker.

The Vikings also have the young, undrafted Jake Lacina who is a promising player. He is a D-II standout who has tons of experience playing center. He won the Rimington Trophy at his level and he is the son of former Vikings offensive lineman, Corbin Lacina.

He should push Jones for his job and if the veteran isn’t up to the task, he could finally be cut by the team that loves to keep him around.