EAGAN — Do the Minnesota Vikings have a competition at center? Apologies for the double negative but…they don’t not have a competition at center.
“I think there’s still competition,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said on Saturday regarding the center position. “We’re still trying to continue to work through these padded practice opportunities. You’ll continue to see some different combinations in there.”
Through the offseason and the first few weeks of practice there haven’t been signs of a serious competition for the starting center job yet O’Connell clearly did not slam the door shut on the idea that one could exist. The Vikings did not bring in anyone with significant experience at center to battle with starter Garrett Bradbury, who briefly lost his job to Mason Cole midway through last season. Veteran backup interior linemen Chris Reed and Austin Schlottmann have a total of 42 regular season center snaps combined. They have split second-team reps throughout camp but neither of them have yet shown any signs of potentially taking Bradbury’s job, in part because of the number of fumbled snaps.
O’Connell said that Bradbury has been good during camp practices in the run game, where he has graded strongly by PFF in the past, but noted that the team is focusing on improving reps where he’s isolated one-on-one with pass rushers.
“We’re challenging him every time, ‘Technique, technique,’” O’Connell said. “He’s got a good anchor when he’s got his feet underneath him. He shows power in the run game, so we’re really finding ways to try to simulate those tough downs.”
The Vikings’ head coach said that he is “definitely not worried” about Bradbury and noted that the team can do things to scheme help for the center but also acknowledged that the most difficult assignments are the ones that separate players.
“As I’ve talked to Garrett about, the expectation is that he can go out there and handle those situations and then… we’ve got to be aware of those matchups in the other side’s favor and that’s our job to try to help even that playing field,” O’Connell said.
Specifically asked about Reed, who has played over 2,000 NFL snaps at guard, O’Connell expressed confidence that he could make the switch from career guard to the middle.
“I think where he’s at right now, he’s able to handle it as the veteran player he is,” O’Connell said. “He’s played enough football to make that transition. I don’t worry at all about the mental side. It’s just the physical nature of having to deal with being the starting point to every play on every down while also still having a critical role in our communication.”
There have been no indications that the Vikings could sign a free agent to add to the competition like veterans JC Tretter or Matt Skura but that remains an option if the Vikings aren’t happy with the progress of the position over the next few weeks. Whether they give Reed, Schlottmann or someone else a chance appears to be in Bradbury’s hands.
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