General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Minnesota Vikings made moves to solidify the interior of their offensive line this offseason, and based on how things have unfolded through 10 games, they could have to go back to the well in 2026.
Blake Brandel has been an unsung hero for Minnesota, turning his first NFL reps at center into a new full-time role. Veteran Ryan Kelly returned last Sunday, but given the 32-year-old’s history with concussions, his short- and long-term future with the Vikings is unclear.
While Brandel has performed better than anyone could have expected — he’s now started six games at center, and hasn’t allowed a single QB pressure in his last three, per Pro Football Focus — it’s hard to see the Vikings going all-in on a player they chose to demote at left guard this past offseason.
The more likely path for 2026 and beyond should be to find a more dependable, franchise center to help young quarterback J.J. McCarthy (or whoever is starting under center for Minnesota next season), and the answer could be a pending free agent who some felt should’ve been on Adofo-Mensah’s draft radar back in 2022.
Minnesota Vikings have the motivation to pry Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum from the Baltimore Ravens
There was some chatter around the Vikings and star Iowa Hawkeyes center Tyler Linderbaum during the pre-draft process in 2022, but with Minnesota entering that draft with the No. 12 overall pick, it was complicated.
Based on positional value, Linderbaum only really made sense for the Vikings in trade-back scenarios. Minnesota did end up trading back with the Detroit Lions, sliding all the way to No. 32 overall; Linderbaum came off the board to the Baltimore Ravens with the 25th pick, and the Vikings, of course, ended up with Georgia safety Lewis Cine.
Four years later, Linderbaum makes even more sense for the Vikings. He’s a proven commodity in a good offense, and Baltimore recently declined his fifth-year option for 2026, which opens the door for him to test free agency next spring.
The Vikings are highly unlikely to be big spenders in 2026 free agency, after committing close to $270 million on player contracts this offseason, according to Spotrac. But with McCarthy still on his rookie-scale contract, and if the team continues to move forward with him as their starter, Linderbaum makes a ton of sense as the centerpiece of Minnesota’s 2026 efforts.
ESPN writers Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler recently named Linderbaum their No. 2 overall pending free agent for next offseason.
“Linderbaum is considered a top-10 interior offensive lineman in the eyes of execs, coaches and scouts. That makes him an expensive option, poised to become one of the highest-paid centers. The Ravens have discussed an extension with Linderbaum but are not within striking distance on a deal.”
The Vikings appear to have hit a home run with first-round rookie Donovan Jackson at left guard, and they just paid Will Fries handsomely to lock down the right side. Their situation at tackle, with Christian Darrisaw on the left and Brian O’Neill on the right, is as solid as any team in the NFL.
The center position is the only spot on the offensive line that needs clarity, and with McCarthy learning on the fly this season, the Vikings should exhaust all options to get it right. Linderbaum should clearly be at the top of their 2026 wish list.