Tag: Riley Reiff

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Vikings Should NOT Move Brian O’Neill

Let’s Reid between the lines…

The Minnesota Vikings scouting staff found an absolute gem when they drafted Brian O’Neill back in 2018. The supposedly undersized right tackle has performed extremely well on Minnesota’s otherwise shaky offensive line, and this is no time to move him to the left side.

Draft picks outside of the first round are a crapshoot. Actually, all draft picks are ultimately a crapshoot. No matter the amount of research done by scouts, or a player’s college resume, NFL teams should be (and are) very happy when they find a bonafide starter straight out of college.

Whether it was a lucky break for the Vikings, or the culmination of a superb scouting effort, the Vikings stole Pitt product Brian O’Neill in the second round of the 2018 draft. He is without a doubt the most valuable piece of the Vikings offensive line, as he anchors the right side of the line with grace.

In three years, O’Neill has allowed only four sacks. This past year, he played nearly 100% of the offensive snaps. And of course, he is rarely called for penalties thanks to his good technique.

As the Vikings ponder what this next year’s line should look like, many fans and analysts have suggested moving O’Neill to left tackle, which is said to be the more challenging and important tackle position. With Riley Reiff no longer in Minnesota, that position needs to be addressed.

These days, the notion of left tackle being more important is outdated and false. Premiere pass rushers attack from both sides of the line, and teams need to be able to protect their quarterback from both angles. Notice, the Vikings defense plays their best pass rusher, Danielle Hunter, against the right tackle.

It would be a high-risk low-reward gamble to move O’Neill. This is the epitome of a “don’t mess with perfection” situation. Moving O’Neill could mess with his mojo, as he has never played left tackle in the pros, and a move like this would also disrupt Minnesota’s right tackle position.

Whether it’s via the draft, free agency, or the current roster, the Vikings should find another left tackle and keep Brian O’Neill where he is.

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Risks and Rewards of Moving Riley Reiff

The off-season is in full swing, and that means Vikings general manager Rick Spielman is making plans for the 2020 Vikings. One of the biggest talking points has been the left side of the offensive line, and specifically, whether or not Spielman should move veteran left tackle Riley Reiff to guard. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of making that move, and ultimately decide if that would be a good move or not.

For those who aren’t very familiar with Minnesota’s starting left tackle, here’s some quick background information. Reiff was a first round pick back in 2012, and he spent five years with the Detroit Lions before being brought to the Vikings in March of 2017.

Reiff has been a good left tackle for Minnesota. He was most definitely an upgrade from the likes of T.J. Clemmings, Matt Khalil, and Jeremiah Sirles. The trouble is, he is indeed a very average tackle. Spielman can be applauded for making an upgrade at the position, but it came at a price. Currently, Reiff is scheduled to make over $13 million in 2020, and many fans believe the Vikings should be getting a top-notch tackle at that price. With that quandary and a small budget, these are the routes Slick Rick could choose to go:

  • Cut Reiff, save $8.6 million, lose $4.4 million in dead cap
  • Trade Reiff (likely difficult to find a suitor)
  • Move Reiff to left guard in hopes he plays better there
  • Convince Reiff to restructure his deal as either a tackle or guard

Fans and analysts alike are torn over the option of moving Reiff to guard. There is sound reasoning to move him to guard, but there are also obvious reasons not to. Check out a breakdown below:

Potential PROS of moving Reiff to guard

  • Makes former left guard Pat Elflein more expendable, as Elflein could be cut to open up some cap space
  • Gives Reiff an opportunity to try and potentially thrive at a new (likely easier) position late in his career
  • Gives current right tackle Brian O’Neill and opportunity to switch to left tackle
  • Keeps Reiff on the team, no dead cap from a cut

Potential CONS of moving Reiff to guard

  • Previous attempts at moving tackles to guard have failed (Mike Remmers)
  • Reiff’s current deal is more appropriately priced for tackle, and it would make him one of the most expensive guards
  • Reiff is a veteran and it is very late in his career to learn a new position
  • Reiff is a good left tackle, and there is no guarantee Spielman could upgrade that position in the draft or free agency
  • A move could disturb continuity on the line and create a bigger learning curve during the offseason

With the pros and cons in mind, I see two obvious and much safer options than an attempted move to guard. It would make the most sense to keep Reiff at tackle and be satisfied with his average play, or cut him and gamble on drafting the left tackle of the future. Free agency doesn’t even seem to be on the table given Minnesota’s deplorable cap situation.

To me, the draft makes the most sense. It’s risky, but using a high pick on a left tackle at least gives the Vikings an opportunity to improve at the position, or find the same level of talent for less money, while it also saves some cap space for spending elsewhere. Given his pretty solid drafting resume, I trust Spielman to go and get the right athlete to bookend the offensive line. 

There’s a chance Spielman may feel the need to wheel and deal to move up in the first round, but that also might not be the case. Remember, he was able to nab Brian O’Neill in the second round, and O’Neill has truly been a savior for the opposite side of the line. Only time will tell, but I hope the Vikings take their shot at another exciting young tackle.

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Offensive Line No Longer Offensive

For the first time in years, the Minnesota Vikings have a real shot at putting together a SOLID offensive line, just in time for the regular season.

Can anyone really remember a time when a Vikings quarterback was well protected? Not within the past five, perhaps even 10 years. Hopefully you weren’t fooled by the 2017 front five… the Vikings had a scrappy escape artist by the name of Case Keenum back then. As elusive as a New Year’s resolution, he was able to mask many of the line’s woes.

But the past doesn’t really matter. The only thing Vikings fans can hope for is that GM Rick Spielman learned some lessons in building a Norse wall. The good news? He did. Unlike last year, Minnesota is poised to protect the $84 million man this season.

Here’s the proof:

Offensive Tackles:

As bad as the line has been, Spielman has made some smart moves along the way. Riley Reiff is no All-Pro, but he is reliable and experienced at left tackle. At 30 years old, he makes for a great leader. Opposite of Reiff, draft pick Brian O’Neill proved people wrong at right tackle last year. He didn’t allow a sack in 15 games played… so much for being undersized. With these two, there’s no need to trade for a guy like Trent Williams.

Centers:

Drumroll, please. After seven long years, Rick Spielman finally spent a first round pick on an OFFENSIVE LINEMAN. Wow, what a relief. Everyone loves drafting athletic cornerbacks, but this pick was long overdue. Garrett Bradbury is the missing piece in the offensive line puzzle. 

With Bradbury ready to start at center, new and experienced offensive line coach Rick Dennison can slide Pat Elflein back to guard, a position he mastered in college. Spielman also smartly traded for an experienced backup early last season, as Brett Jones is more than capable if the need arises.

Guards:

Elflein looks like the obvious choice to start at left guard, and newly acquired veteran Josh Kline may start at right. But what makes this year different is the open competition for either of these spots. Even if Elflein and Kline win their respective gigs, there’s more talent waiting in the wings. Dru Samia and Danny Isidora are still learning the ropes, but don’t be surprised if one of them is starting by midseason.

Coaching:

The loss of Tony Sparano last year was both shocking and devastating to morale. He was a dedicated coach, and now Rick Dennison will try to fill his shoes. It’s a tall task, but Dennison has what it takes to make Sparano proud. With the aforementioned linemen and his new zone blocking scheme, Dennison will build a SOLID offensive line.

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