Vikings joint practice with Titans 2023: Top takeaways from Day 1
By Adam Carlson
Vikings takeaway No. 3
Minnesota's line struggling
On a day when defense shined, the offense of the Minnesota Vikings struggled to find success. Much of that is due to the Titans being able to put pressure on the quarterback going through the middle of the offensive line.
Tennessee defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons is no slouch. A first-round pick of the Titans in 2019, Simmons is a six-foot-four, 305-pound powerhouse who was getting the best of the Vikings line according to Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune on X.
Titans DT Jeffery Simmons has been a helluva load for the Vikings interior line, and he's chirping. Vikings offense, first and second teams, aren't getting much time to operate.
— Andrew Krammer (@Andrew_Krammer) August 16, 2023
Minnesota will face several tough defensive fronts and will need to figure out a way to not only protect their quarterback but open lanes for the team's rushing attack. Both of those could be asking a lot for an interior offensive line that struggled last year.
Garrett Bradbury, Ed Ingram, and Ezra Cleveland will need to step up if they hope to allow more success for the offense. Time is running out for the linemen to show improvement from last year's efforts.