The Minnesota Vikings have some pretty big holes on their roster to fill this offseason.
They have to find a quarterback who can push J.J. McCarthy for his starting job and then be able to win them games when he eventually gets hurt. They will likely be looking for a new center, assuming that Ryan Kelly is released.
On defense, they have to shore up their secondary by getting another starting-caliber safety and perhaps up to three quality cornerbacks.
Those needs are obvious, and there are some other secondary needs that stick out when perusing Minnesota's depth chart, but there is one need that isn't as obvious, and that is offensive tackle.
Offensive tackle is a sneaky-big need for the Minnesota Vikings this offseason
At first glance, this position looks to be shored up for the Vikings. They have bookend studs in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill. Those two are Pro Bowl-caliber players and one of the best tandems in the league.
The biggest concern here is their health.
Darrisaw is the better player of the two, but also the more injury-prone one. He's never played a full season in his five-year career and played in just 10 games in 2025.
He suffered an ACL and MCL tear in 2024, and while he did return to the lineup for the 2025 season and had moments of brilliance, he wasn't quite healed, and the "will he or won't he?" weekly discussion of whether he would play and for how many snaps was a truly odd thing to behold.
It was almost as if the coaching staff didn't know the extent of his injury, or Darrisaw wasn't being forthright with his pain and how it was affecting him.
O'Neill was also limited by injuries last season. He missed three games due to an MCL sprain, and while he returned to the lineup eventually, struggles began to take place more frequently.
O'Neill was beaten by defenders a little more often than normal and uncharacteristically began drawing flags. He will will also be 31 years old next September, and probably has three to four more years left in him.
O'Neill and Darrisaw are, without a doubt, one of the best tandems in the NFL, but health and durability are major concerns.
Another issue with the Vikings' offensive tackle position is the depth.
Justin Skule was signed to a one-year deal last March, and although he struggled early in the season, he ultimately proved to be a valuable asset who could play on both the left and right sides.
Walter Rouse is rarely active and will be fighting to keep his roster spot this summer. Blake Brandel can play any position on the offensive line, but it'll be curious to see if the team decides to move him to center full-time or if they keep him as that utility piece.
That leaves two spots open on Minnesota's offensive tackle depth chart.
It would make a ton of sense for the Vikings to use one of their first three 2026 draft picks on this position group. They aren't likely to address it with their first or second round pick, but the team could end up with two third-rounders with the assumed compensatory pick for Sam Darnold, and using one on an offensive tackle should be in play.
There are plenty of quality tackles found in that third to fifth round range, and it's time for Minnesota to hit on one of them.
The team may also want to seriously consider bringing Skule back, assuming the price is right. He proved his worth late in the season, and pairing him with a third-round rookie, with Brandel also available at a moment's notice, would shore up that position quite nicely.
Cornerback, quarterback, and safety are bigger needs for the Vikings this offseason, but offensive tackle is up there, too, and it's one they could address early in free agency and the draft.