The Minnesota Vikings hoped guard Donovan Jackson would ascend to Pro Bowl status this season. They believed the former first-round pick could form one of the league’s deadliest duos alongside left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
Unfortunately, Jackson suffered a torn meniscus in the team’s 15-10 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. The team managed to stay undefeated, but the loss weighs heavily on their offensive line.
Former undrafted free agent Joe Huber is expected to take over the starting job. He has played 71 snaps for Minnesota this season, and 79 last season. However, he’s a completely unknown commodity. Some think they might add a veteran through free agency to shore up the position.
VikingsOnSI’s Devin Platana thinks former Chicago Bears second-round selection James Daniels would make sense as a stop-gap option for Minnesota.
“If the Vikings want to sign an experienced reinforcement candidate, former Chicago Bears guard James Daniels could be their guy,” Platana wrote. “Even if his healthiest days are behind him, Daniels actually looked fairly decent in four appearances with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. He played to an impressive 92.5 run-block grade on PFF and even went 105 passing downs while allowing just one pressure. Granted, all that action came at right guard (where he’s spent most of his last few seasons), but it’s worth highlighting that he played LG for most of his Bears run.”
James Daniels Would At Least Stabilize The Vikings LG Spot
James Daniels has never been a Pro Bowl-caliber player, but he has seen a lot of action throughout his career. He has 85 career starts, and the Vikings know what they’d get from him.
He’s still only 29 and should have enough gas left in the tank to provide starting-quality play the rest of this season. While he might not exceed replacement-level starting play (there’s a reason he’s still available in October), his floor is a lot higher than Huber’s.
Is Huber’s ceiling higher? Maybe. He’s a complete unknown. With the inconsistencies he’s shown in pass protection, it would be shocking to see him develop into a plus-level starter, though. His floor is below the basement.
What Other Options Are Out There For The Vikings?
Unsurprisingly, the free agent guard market is a barren wasteland right now. It’s been picked over, as any team that entered the season with a question mark addressed it well before Week 5. The Packers also recently scraped the bargain bin with two veteran additions, Laken Tomlinson and Kevin Zeitler.
With that said, the Vikings could look into a few other options who haven’t yet put pen to paper. Alex Cappa and Will Hernandez have 104 and 98 starts, respectively. However, they’re both on the wrong side of 30 and have shown signs of wear in recent seasons.
Ben Cleveland and Cody Ford both proved to be solid backups throughout their career. They wouldn’t be long-term options by any means, and they’ve had their fair share of struggles. The Vikings don’t need that, though. What they need is someone to shore up the interior for the next two to three months. They might find that in free agency.
Vikings Urged To Sign Former Rival Guard After Donovan Jackson Injury