Earlier this month, Ross Tucker of The33rdTeam.com shared his belief that the Minnesota Vikings have the eighth-best offensive line in the NFL heading into the upcoming 2023 season. Tucker's explanation for this somewhat surprising ranking was that it was "largely based on the play of their offensive tackles," Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill.
Well, we know Darrisaw will be ready to start for this year's regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a few weeks, as Minnesota's starting left tackle has been a full participant in the team's training camp this summer.
But after O'Neill suffered a partially torn Achilles near the end of the 2022 campaign, his status for Week 1 against the Bucs has been a bit more uncertain. At least, it was until the Vikings' training camp practice on Sunday.
According to multiple reports from those in attendance, O'Neill took part in Minnesota's 11-on-11 team drills for the first time in this year's training camp.
Sunday's development is a great sign for O'Neill, and if everything continues to stay on track, the Vikings should have their Pro Bowl right tackle on the field for their Week 1 matchup with Tampa Bay on September 10th.
O'Neill has been with Minnesota since they selected him in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He managed to start 11 games as a rookie, and since then, he's remained the Vikings' starting right tackle.
After three solid seasons, Minnesota rewarded O'Neill with a five-year contract extension worth $92.5 million right before the start of the 2021 campaign. Then during that 2021 season, he went on to earn his first-career spot on a Pro Bowl roster. O'Neill followed up his Pro Bowl performance by finishing his 2022 season with the eighth-best PFF grade among qualifying offensive tackles in the NFL.
Barring any setbacks, O'Neill is on track to be the Week 1 starting right tackle for the Vikings for the fifth season in a row.