Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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3. Overhauled offensive line | By Lindsey Young
The Vikings placed a focus on offensive line this spring, using free agency and the NFL Draft to bolster the position group.
Minnesota added free agent guards Josh Kline and Dakota Dozier to the roster in March, and the Vikings used their first-round pick (18th overall) to snag N.C. State center Garrett Bradbury. They also traded up to draft Oklahoma’s Dru Samia in the fourth round and selected Elon tackle Olisaemeka Udoh in the sixth.
In addition, the Vikings signed undrafted free agent John Keenoy, who played at Western Michigan under Head Coach P.J. Fleck before Fleck took over at the University of Minnesota in 2017.
Returning offensive linemen who started at least 11 games for Minnesota last season are Pat Elflein, Brian O’Neill and Riley Reiff.
It will be interesting to see how Bradbury and Samia, who participated in rookie minicamp earlier this month, do in full-team OTA practices. It also will be worth noting which line combinations Vikings coaches use in practice and how often they switch it up.
“We’re just trying to get the best football players in here, and then once we get into the OTAs, once we get into training camp, the coaches will figure out what’s the best combination,” Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman said during draft weekend. “The most important thing right now is getting the best football players we can get in.”