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2010 Offensive Line Analysis - Minnesota Vikings

2010 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Bryant McKinnie
Left Guard: Steve Hutchinson
Center: John Sullivan
Right Guard: Anthony Herrera
Right Tackle: Phil Loadholt

2009 Injuries:
T Phil Loadholt: Week 5
G Anthony Herrera: Weeks 12 and 13

2009 Statistics:

Overview:
The Minnesota Vikings, which had one of the best run blocking offensive lines in the past two years, were below league average in 2009. Nonetheless, the addition of Brett Favre at quarterback gave them one of the best offenses in the NFL and put them one game away from the Super Bowl.

At left tackle, the Vikings can count on their 2002 first round pick Bryant McKinnie. McKinnie has unbelievable size at 6’8” and 335 lbs and possesses a very large wingspan which he uses to his advantage in pass blocking. He has decent technique and feet for a big guy that make him a good pass blocking left tackle but he still gets beat to the outside too often by faster defensive linemen. McKinnie struggled in run blocking in 2009 which could be due to his lack of intensity at times. He made it to his first Pro Bowl this season because of the performance of the Vikings offense he will need to improve his attitude and work ethic if he wants to be amongst the best in the NFL. 2009 second round pick Phil Loadholt will once again start at right tackle. Loadholt is an intimidating blocker at 6’8” and 345 lbs with long arms and pretty good balance. He is a hard worker and will finish his blocks, two qualities that could make him a dominant run blocker in the NFL. Surprisingly, he somewhat struggled in run blocking last season but was impressive in pass protection. Providing depth at right tackle is Ryan Cook. Cook was a starter in 2007 and 2008 but he lacks strength and will be overpowered too often. Cook has the ability to play all positions on the line and is a very good backup.

At left guard, the Vikings will once again count on the seven-time Pro Bowler Steve Hutchinson. Hutchinson has been named to seven straight Pro Bowls and has not missed a single start in those seven seasons but he made last year’s Pro Bowl pretty much based on his reputation alone. The Seahawks running game has struggled ever since they lost Hutchinson in 2006 and he is probably one of the best run blockers of all-time. Last season however, he struggled with injuries and was well below his standards in run blocking. It’s hard to say if it’s his age or his injuries that slowed him down but he stepped up his pass protection and remains an above average guard despite being 32 years old. Opposite of him is Anthony Herrera who also struggled all season long in run blocking. He is a strong guard at 6’2” and 315 lbs who showed very good improvement in the past few seasons. Herrera is very aggressive in run blocking and has shown great work ethic over the past few years. He will probably always remain a below average guard but he is still good enough to start in the NFL. 2010 fifth round pick Chris DeGeare adds depth at guard.

The loss of center Matt Birk last off-season is the main reason why the running game wasn’t nearly as good as it had been in the past. The Vikings had a drop of 0.4 in yards per carry while the Ravens improved by 0.7. The 2008 sixth round pick had huge shoes to fill and he can’t be blamed for the drop in the running game as he wasn’t any worse than the other interior linemen. Sullivan is a very smart center with good athleticism but he will get overpowered by big defensive linemen at times. Sullivan is a hard worker and he will do everything he can to improve and become a better player.

2010 Outlook:
The Vikings offensive line was average in 2009 and we should expect more of the same in 2010 with all five starters returning. The one player who could help this line become a force in run blocking again is Steve Hutchinson. He’s the one player that could significantly up his level of play in comparison to last year. The loss of Artis Hicks as a free agent will hurt this line’s depth but they’re still in decent shape with Ryan Cook. The starters have managed to stay healthy over the past couple of years so it shouldn’t be a problem but the offense would be in trouble if two or more linemen were to go down.

See all of our 2010 Offensive Line Analysis Articles