Minnesota Vikings left guard Donovan Jackson will be absent for the remainder of the season after suffering a meniscus tear against the Miami Dolphins in Week 4, leaving the team with the unenviable task of trying to replace one of the better young interior offensive linemen across the NFL.
If the Vikings decide to seek an in-house replacement for Jackson, the logical answer is Joe Huber. However, he is far from a home run solution.
“With Donovan Jackson hurt, I’m not sure Joe Huber or anyone else on the roster is the answer at left guard for a 4-0 team,” Will Ragatz of BMTN Sports posted to X on Tuesday, October 6. “Think there’s a case for the Vikings to make a trade like they did for Cam Robinson in 2024, though I have no idea who they could target.”
“Want to add something to this tweet — I’m not going to rule out the possibility of Joe Huber seizing the LG job. He had some nice moments on tape Sunday,” Ragatz added. “This week’s game feels like a big test/audition for him heading into the bye.”
Minnesota faces the New Orleans Saints in a road game on October 11 before getting a week off. The team will not return to action until it hosts the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on October 25.
Joe Huber Notched 45 Games of Experience in College, Has Logged 150 Offensive Snaps in 2-Year NFL Career
Huber joined the Vikings in 2025 as an undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin. He is in the second season of a three-year, $2.975 million contract that runs through 2027, after which Huber will be a restricted free agent.
The 24-year-old guard stands at six-feet, five-inches tall and weighs 310 pounds. He played in 12 games for Minnesota last season, earning one start. Huber has appeared in all four contests this year, logging 71 snaps on offense and 18 snaps on special teams to date. He registered 79 offensive snaps and another 50 on special teams during his rookie campaign in 2025.
Huber played two years at Cincinnati before transferring to Wisconsin for his junior and senior seasons. He appeared in a total of 45 games during his collegiate career, which included 37 starts.
All told, Huber has started 38 games across his collegiate and professional careers combined and is likely to get at least one more against the Saints this coming Sunday.
Packers Have Swept Up 2 Good Options at Offensive Guard in Recent Days
Somewhat ironically, it is the NFC North Division rival Green Bay Packers who have pilfered the market of offensive guard options after the Vikings’ defense exposed the glaring weaknesses on the interior of the Packers’ O-line.
Green Bay added Laken Tomlinson by signing him off the Dallas Cowboys‘ practice squad before inking former Pro Bowler and ex-Detroit Lions OG Kevin Zeitler out of free agency.
Graham Glasgow, another former Detroit offensive lineman, remains available in free agency. He has played 147 games with 136 starts across a 10-year NFL career. He appeared in 15 contests for the Lions last season, starting 14 of those games. Glasgow recently worked out with the Baltimore Ravens following injuries to their offensive line.
Vikings Likely to Replace Donovan Jackson With 38-Game Starter