The case for the Vikings taking a first-round tackle
A rare few mock drafters have pointed to offensive tackle for the Vikings.... are they crazy?
By Matthew Coller
On April 1st, Sports Illustrated draft analyst Gilberto Manzano did something bold. Call it shocking. Brave, even. He went out on a limb and dared to trek ground that no other NFL media mock drafter would do: Mock the Minnesota Vikings an offensive tackle with the 18th overall selection.
We shouldn’t use the word “hero” lightly in society but this is a truly heroic effort in a universe where the entire mock draft universe has decided that Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman is the only player for the Vikings in next week’s draft.
Being different doesn’t necessarily correlate with being right. Many centimeters of internet space are wasted every year with folks trying to go outside of the box and they end up looking silly on draft day.
Is that the case for Mr. Manzano? Or does he have a point? Or is he a madman?
OK maybe I’m making this a tad too dramatic. But seriously, should the Vikings look at offensive tackle with the 18th overall selection?
It’s certainly justifiable. In fact, it might be downright smart.
The argument for the Vikings going offensive tackle in the first round begins with the not-so-distant future.
As of April 14, 2026, outstanding right tackle Brian O’Neill is not under contract after 2026. If you look at the cost of right tackles, you’ll notice that six of them are paid more than $22 million per year and the highest paid RTs are pushing toward $30 million. Considering his Pro Bowl resume and key leadership role, it’s not absurd to think that O’Neill’s side would see in the ballpark of $25-$30 million per season in a contract extension.
That’s not just a fair price based on performance but also scarcity. Top offensive tackles rarely hit free agency. The RTs currently making over $10 million (some have/will move to LT) are Tristan Wirfs, Penei Sewell, Lane Johnson, Tytus Howard, Zach Tom, Tyler Moton, Michael Onwenu, O’Neill, Spencer Brown, Mike McGlinchey, Abraham Lucas, Jermaine Eluemunor, Terence Steele and Braden Smith. Out of that group, only three aren’t with the teams that drafted them. And you could make a case that their average annual salaries are above their performance levels.
That’s another part of the argument: These guys don’t become available often and when they do, it’s expensive to get them or they end up being short-term band aids. Look at this year’s free agency. Braden Smith was the highest paid free agent right tackle that signed with another team and he inked a contract worth $10 million per year. The next highest deal for a RT handed out was $5 million.
If the Vikings have reservations about signing O’Neill to a long-term extension at top dollar, they would have plenty of reason to draft a tackle.
On the other side, Christian Darrisaw had a rough time last season dealing with a knee injury. It’s unclear where things stand with his recovery but even if he was back to 100%, he has still had a concerning injury history. He has only played over 900 snaps twice since being drafted in 2021.
There is no question that Darrisaw is an elite player when he’s in the game but his past suggests that playing an entire season will be a challenge.
If the Vikings were to draft an offensive tackle in Round 1, it would be an insurance policy for next season. Rather than having a normal backup offensive tackle — presently Ryan Van Demark, a UDFA signed from the Bills — the Vikings would have a first-round draft pick coming off the bench to take his spot.
That actually applies across the offensive line. Maybe they wouldn’t want Spencer Fano to play center because it’s a complex mental position but draft prognosticators believe that he could potentially play guard. Will Fries has been injured before. Donovan Jackson has been injured before.
How often does any team get away with their starting five playing the entire season?
Right now, we are certain that a first-round tackle will be on the bench all year. By Week 3, he might be playing. (That’s when Jackson got hurt last year, by the way).
Another element of the argument pertains to this particular draft.
Acting GM Rob Brzezinski talked at the NFL Combine and the owner’s meetings about building a draft board objectively to pick the best players, not adjusting the rankings for need. Well, this draft appears to be strong with offensive tackles.
Mock Draft Database lists six tackles as top 32 players on its consensus big board and Max Iheananchor is 36th. Compare that to some other positions like defensive tackle — a clear Vikings need — where the top two players rank No. 29 and 31.
Fano is 11th on MDD’s consensus board. If the Vikings could grab the 11th best player in the draft at No. 18 when they have an oft-injured left tackle and a right tackle whose contract is up after this year, it’s pretty darn hard to say no.
Would you rather have a top rated tackle where it’s unclear when they’re going to play or reach on a defensive tackle who is going to play right away?
If the franchise was ending after 2026, maybe you’d go DT but I don’t believe that’s in the plans.
Of course, if the Vikings extend O’Neill and their medical folks love where Darrisaw is at and they believe that Van Demark is a wonderful fit, then they shouldn’t draft a tackle.
If there are doubts about any of that, it’s worth considering. Best Player Available might get tested.
Should this happen, the reaction will probably be confusion and it might feel like not getting to play with a toy on Christmas day. It also might be the best economic and practical decision they could make.
ADDITIONAL NOTE
— Ian Rapoport is reporting that Dexter Lawrence and the Giants have reached an impasse in contract negotiations. Buckle up.
The Vikings have every reason to make this trade and if the Giants want the No. 18 overall pick, it might be worth it considering that this draft is not particularly strong.
Dexter Lawrence trade would only be smart if the rest of the roster was great and they were one piece away.
Trading for Lawrence would be a KAM move. This is not KAMs team anymore. And that's a good thing.