The Minnesota Vikings are working through the ebbs and flows of training camp. Now, a new report suggests that one position in particular is struggling. The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling wrote a report on Tuesday’s practice, and he indicated that the center position is one where the Vikings are still trying to work the kinks out.
Currently, the Vikings have been using Blake Brandel at center. He first took over at the center spot following the retirement of Ryan Kelly. He primarily played left guard and left tackle prior to this, and made the move to center, where he now resides.
Vikings Center Has Worrying Recent Trend
Training camp is a spot to work out the kinks and the struggles. It appears that Brandel and Murray are still trying to get used to snapping the ball out of the shotgun formation, as noted by Goessling.
“Blake Brandel has been working to improve the accuracy of his shotgun snaps, and we saw Murray have to go low for another one in Tuesday’s practice.”
His versatility is something that has been noticeable from the jump. He played right tackle for nine games, starting as a redshirt freshman for Oregon State. He played at the right guard spot in 2023, where he was able to fill in for Christian Darrisaw. Brandel also played this position for the Beavers at the collegiate level.
Brandel then transitioned to left guard in the 2024 season, where he started the position throughout the year.
Vikings Center Could Hold Own Metrically
Metrically, Brandel can hold his own at the center position. He had a 61.4 overall grade in 2025, putting him 28th out of 40 centers in the NFL, according to metrics from Pro Football Focus. He had a 67.6 pass-blocking grade, which put him 15th out of 40 centers. Pass-blocking was his best asset, as he had the highest mark in that category. Run blocking proved to be a bit more challenging for him, as he had a 61.9 overall grade. That put him 28th out of 40 centers. Brandel played 604 snaps overall.
This report should not be any cause for major panic, but it is slightly concerning. The Vikings are looking for consistency at the center position, something that they have not had since Ryan Kelly. Brandel certainly has time to adjust this, fix it and get better. That’s the point of practice. However, this is certainly not something you want to hear.
The Vikings do have an intriguing amount of center depth. They have Michael Jurgens as a backup. Gavin Gerhart is also in the room as a 2026 seventh-round draft pick at the moment. Delby Lemieux is currently sitting at the fourth spot and is there for added depth
In any event, it does not sound like the starting position is in a place that the team can be comfortable with as of yet. Center is one of the most important positions on the entire offensive line, and clean snaps will be important in order for the Vikings to effectively run their offense.
The offensive unit will already face challenges as a new quarterback leads the team. The last thing the team wants is the center position to become a major issue. This will undoubtedly be worth monitoring over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, Brandel can fix these issues.
Vikings Center’s Ongoing Issue Raises Eyebrows at Practice