EAGAN, Minn. — Who will start at center for the Vikings in 2026?
Minnesota has plenty of time to solidify the position ahead of the season's start, but it's worth recapping where the team stands now after Head Coach Kevin O'Connell was asked about the position at this week's NFL Annual League Meeting.
The Vikings will be without veteran center Ryan Kelly, whom they signed last spring as a free agent to bolster the line. Kelly played admirably when available — analytics site Pro Football Focus ranked him the fourth-best center from last season — but was hindered by entering concussion protocol multiple times.
Kelly, 32, announced his retirement from the NFL on March 6.
Michael Jurgens and Blake Brandel each took snaps at center last season when Kelly was out of commission.
A seventh-round draft selection by Minnesota in 2024, Jurgens played 309 offensive snaps last season. He was credited with allowing nine pressures in pass protection, which included 4.0 sacks, and prompted penalty flags five times.
The Vikings also turned to Brandel, who joined the team as a sixth-round draft pick in 2020 and primarily served as a versatile backup until last season, when Kelly and Jurgens both were sidelined. Brandel played his first-ever game snaps at center (he'd taken practice reps there, including during the 2023 season) in Week 5 — starting for Minnesota in its International Series game against the Browns in London.
"He seems confident, which is huge. Just that alone makes the difference," quarterback Carson Wentz said at the time. "Going out there feeling confident in his calls, ability to get us in and out of the right calls up front, in the run game and all those things. … He's been around this business, this league, for a while now, played a lot of games. So moving him inside, I think he'll do a great job."
Brandel held his own against Cleveland, helping the Vikings take home a win.
He went on to play 363 snaps at center during the 2025 campaign, in addition to 141 snaps at left guard, 22 at left tackle and 76 at right tackle.
Brandel's PFF pass-blocking grade of 67.6 ranked 14th among centers who played at least 240 snaps, and he was credited with allowing three sacks on the season (across his whole body of work).
O'Connell was asked whether Brandel will have an opportunity to compete for the starting center position.
"Absolutely," O'Connell said. "It was really encouraging to see a guy that had never done it before, kind of seamlessly jump in there and attack that opportunity.
"I guess this is the best way say it: It is great that we feel that good about Blake's versatility, but ultimately we want to do what's best for Blake to ascend and reach his highest potential at one position or have the flexibility still to play multiple," he explained. "But what his offseason looks like, what his training camp looks like, and what his workflow looks like leading into the season, we want to have him more than likely at that center spot and build on some things that he did last year."
O'Connell noted Brandel's intelligence and "pretty unique athleticism in his lower half" that allows him to get to the second level on different angles, as well as get to and block different defenders.
"And then I think the opportunity to pass block at tackle, guard, center, that bodes really well for him to have a full toolbox to continue ascending from a pass-pro standpoint — and your center needs to, with some of the interior guys that exist every week that you play against in this league," O'Connell said.
He added he's "really encouraged" by Jurgens' development.
"His continued growth, his ability to step in sometimes where we absolutely needed him, and his growth and ascension's been there," O'Connell added.
Though O'Connell feels positive about Brandel and Jurgens continuing to work at center, he isn't ruling out the potential of adding someone through this year's draft, either.
"It's a position that's got some really unique names in the draft, depending on where you may be looking to take one," he said. "And there's some guys with experience, there's some guys with some tremendous upside, and some guys that have that flex above the neck of the smarts and the command that it takes to play center in the National Football League level. So, we'll continue to work through it."
View 2026 Free Agency Tracker.
See the Vikings 2026 Opponents.
Check out the Vikings 2026 Draft Picks.
View future opponents for the Vikings.
Buy single game tickets.
Download the official Vikings App.
