Aug 27, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Blake Brandel (64) stretches before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Blake Brandel is a rock-solid football player, someone whom just about every coaching staff would welcome onto their team.
The oft-overlooked lineman is super versatile, a coveted trait in Eagan. One man possesses the ability to jump into at least four o-line spots, a reality that surely brings comfort to Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as the gruelling season lingers. Even still, will there be any buyer’s remorse if he isn’t the starter?
Blake Brandel and The Surprising Contract
Safe to say that most expected Brandel to come back. What was a touch more surprising were the details of the deal.
Adofo-Mensah sent over a three-year commitment that promises to pay $9.5 million. The deal includes $3.1 million in guarantees and there aren’t any shenanigans with void years. One has to assume that Brandel, who was drafted in the 6th Round of the 2020 NFL Draft, was ecstatic with the pay raise.
Nov 20, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) and wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) and offensive tackle Blake Brandel (64) and teammates react during the game against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
In his four-year career, Brandel has made less than $4.5 million, so he did well for himself with the contract. Consider how it looks on a per-year basis in terms of the cap charges:
2024: $1,916,666
2025: $3,416,666
2026: $4,166,668
The initial cap charge — less than $2 million — gives the Vikings some runway. Dalton Risner isn’t necessarily a 100% lock to make the final roster, but he’s still the favorite to end up as the LG1. From there, it’s certainly possible that Ed Ingram retains his RG1 spot even if it’s possible Brandel builds off of his experience there last season by snatching away the starter’s gig.
Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Blake Brandel (64) during the NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports
Brandel would proceed as the main interior depth if Risner and Ingram start, the first one off the bench if either of the starters needed to miss time.
What would be more concerning, perhaps, is if he continued being a backup in the second and third years of the deal. Brandel’s cap charge climbs by a decent bit in those seasons, getting firmly within middle class territory.
One wonders if the goal with the deal is to use 2024 as an on-ramp for starting. If, in the end, Brandel proves to be better than either Risner or Ingram, then he’ll take over a starting spot. At worst, though, he’ll look to be a starter in 2025 when the cap hit swells. After all, Risner is only on a single-season deal and Minnesota may yet again try to play the comp pick game with their veteran guard.
Nov 27, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) reacts with tight end Josh Oliver (84) and guard Dalton Risner (66) after a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
So, to answer the question that the title poses: no, the contract wasn’t a mistake. Brandel is valuable depth. He’s obviously someone who has a brain in his head and who works very hard. If he didn’t have those attributes, then there would be no way for him to be the backup at so many different spots.
In his NFL career, Blake Brandel has picked up snaps at left tackle, right guard, and as a jumbo tight end. Before too long, he may add left guard to the mix.
He is 6’7″ and weighs 315 pounds. In January, Brandel turned 27, meaning there’s plenty of good football left in his legs and lungs.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.
Source link : https://purpleptsd.com/2024/vikings/opinion/the-blake-brandel-deal/
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Publish date : 2024-07-15 09:15:00
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