4 thinnest positions on the 2021 Minnesota Vikings roster

Offensive Tackle

The Vikings are rolling the dice a little bit this season at offensive tackle. The issue isn’t on the right side, as stalwart Brian O’Neill remains at the position he’s dominated at since very early in his NFL career.

The concern is at left tackle where Minnesota will be rolling with a rookie, Chrisitan Darrisaw. He certainly looks the part and there’s no reason to think he won’t become a very good player. But it’s also naive to think he’ll step in right away and play at the level Riley Reiff did for the Vikings in 2020.

There will be growing pains at this position and while dependable Rashod Hill returns as the primary backup, the talent at the top of the depth chart will take a bit of a hit, at least early in the season.

The depth at right tackle is another reason why offensive tackle should be considered a thin position on the Vikings’ current roster. It’s only June, but it’s unclear who will be backing up O’Neill when the season starts. While Hill can play both sides, Minnesota would definitely prefer if a young player stepped up and claimed the job.

The two battling for that backup spot behind O’Neill will be Oli Udoh and Blake Brandel. It’s early, but Brandel appears to be the lead dog in this race. However, that could certainly change as the training camp and the preseason progresses.

Whoever wins the job will be inexperienced and how they’ll perform if forced into action is a complete unknown.

With a new starter on the left side and unproven players on the depth chart, offensive tackle is one of the weaker spots on the Vikings’ 2021 roster. But it’s also one that can become a strength if these young players step up early.