Mike Zimmer names four candidates who could replace Riley Reiff
By Adam Patrick
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer recently discussed who the team might choose to be their new starting left tackle next season.
So far this offseason, the Minnesota Vikings have placed the majority of their focus on fixing the defensive side of their roster.
The Vikings‘ offense didn’t have as many needs as the team’s defense did heading into the offseason. But Minnesota’s offense still has some pretty important holes to fill, especially when it comes to the team’s offensive line.
Figuring out who will be their new starting left tackle for the 2021 season might be the Vikings’ biggest task for their offense during the next few months. Riley Reiff had been holding down the role since 2017 and now Minnesota must find someone new to protect the blindside of their franchise quarterback.
Mike Zimmer reveals who might be the new left tackle for the Minnesota Vikings in 2021
On Wednesday, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer held a virtual press conference in which he took questions from several members of the local Twin Cities media.
At one point, Zimmer was asked about what Minnesota’s plans are to find the right guy to replace Reiff on the left side of their offensive line.
"“At this point, we’ve got Rashod Hill back, we’ve got [Oli] Udoh back, we’ve got [Brian] O’Neill back, we’ve got [Ezra] Cleveland. So, we’ll be able to take care of those situations. All of those guys are good players, so we’ll continue to figure it out and go from there.”"
Basically, it sounds like the Vikings have no idea who will be their new left tackle at this point in the offseason. But this is completely fair since they could potentially find Reiff’s replacement in the upcoming NFL Draft.
At the very least, Zimmer naming a total of four guys seems to indicate that Minnesota is open to exploring several candidates that might be able to take over as their starting left tackle.
As of right now, Cleveland and O’Neill feel like the top candidates to take over for Reiff. But a lot of things can happen between now and the start of the 2021 season, so it’s possible that the Vikings’ next starting left tackle isn’t even on their current roster.