No NFL roster is perfect, but the Minnesota Vikings are a team with few weaknesses after the first six weeks of 2024.
One area general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings will want to shore up in free agency next year is the interior offensive line.
Former second-round pick Ed Ingram has held down the right guard spot for the Vikings, and his play against the New York Jets in Week 4 raised some red flags. Per PFF, Ingram allowed a sack, three hurries and five pressures against the Jets. The site gave him an abysmal pass blocking grade of 9.1 for the game.
With Dalton Risner expected to return to the lineup as soon as this week, it’s possible the Vikings turn to some sort of platoon at right guard. But there’s a clear need at the position going forward, and the Bleacher Report Scouting Department presented a splashy solution in 2025 free agency.
Trey Smith, the 25-year-old Pro Bowler of the Kansas City Chiefs, is expected to be heavily coveted if allowed to test the market. He was ranked as a top-five pending free agent overall by NFL.com back in August.
Bleacher Report believes the Vikings should throw the bag at Smith this spring. Here was the site’s take:
Guard is a trouble spot on Minnesota's roster right now, as Risner is expected to replace Ed Ingram when the former comes off injured reserve. However, Risner is a free agent in the offseason, meaning the position will be one of the organization's biggest offseason needs.
Smith will arguably be the best guard available on the open market as he's been an excellent player during his four-year career. Through five games in 2024, the 25-year-old earned an 84.5 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus and had only surrendered 10 pressures with no sacks.
Minnesota is currently projected to have north of $80 million in cap space entering 2025, which ranks sixth in the NFL.
With J.J. McCarthy developing behind the scenes, investing in the offensive line makes a ton of sense, and luring a young talent like Smith away from the defending Super Bowl champions feels like a best-case scenario.
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