It looks like Blake Brandel will be the Vikings’ new left guard after all

Don’t expect a change to come

If you, like many Minnesota Vikings fans, are waiting for news of a reunion between the team and offensive lineman Dalton Risner, it appears that you might not want to hold your breath on that.

Vikings’ offensive coordinator Wes Phillips spoke to the media on Thursday afternoon and made it clear that the team fully expects Blake Brandel to be the team’s starting left guard in 2024.

Here’s the full quote from Phillips:

I’m really excited about Blake. I feel like he gets bigger every time I see him. He’s just a massive man on the inside, but he’s in great shape and he’s always been very coachable. You talk about technique, fundamentals, footwork, hand placement, all the things that are critical for the o-line, you know one false step for an o-lineman can be a catastrophe. It’s been very encouraging so far with him stepping in for that starting spot on the left there. I think it will only grow from there, the more experience and the more reps he gets. He’s been a guy that any time he’s been put in a game, at several positions, has come through for us. We haven’t forgotten that and we believe that he’s earned this opportunity.

Brandel is going into his fifth season with the Vikings, having spent his entire rookie season in 2020 and half of the 2021 season on the practice squad. He got several starts at left tackle in 2022 while Christian Darrisaw was dealing with concussion issues before going on injured reserve himself later that season. He also got a couple of starts at guard in 2023, stepping in for Ed Ingram at the right guard spot both times. He signed a three-year contract extension with the team a couple of months ago.

It would appear, at least as things stand right now, that Brandel’s toughest competition for the left guard spot could come from veteran Dan Feeney and rookie Michael Jurgens, who played center at Wake Forest but has experience at guard as well. However, with Brandel having been in the Vikings’ offensive scheme for a couple of years now, it would be a bit of an upset if someone else were to displace him. Hopefully Phillips, Kevin O’Connell, and company have made the right call on this one.