Vikings Retain OL Depth By Re-Signing Oli Udoh, Austin Schlottmann
The Vikings are prioritizing continuity on their offensive line this offseason. The big move in that regard was their decision to bring back center Garrett Bradbury on a three-year deal.
With Bradbury back in the fold, the Vikings' starting offensive line of (from left to right) Christian Darrisaw, Ezra Cleveland, Bradbury, Ed Ingram, and Brian O'Neill will likely remain unchanged in 2023. O'Neill is recovering from an Achilles injury and is expected to be ready for the start of the season. Ingram — the weak link on the line last year as a rookie — is the clear current favorite to start at right guard again, but he may have to compete for the job.
That philosophy extends beyond the starting five, too. The Vikings recently announced moves to re-sign a pair of key backup linemen in tackle/guard Oli Udoh and guard/center Austin Schlottmann. Both are back on one-year deals.
In addition to Udoh and Schlottmann, the Vikings re-signed tackle Blake Brandel and restructured the contract of veteran guard/center Chris Reed earlier this offseason. Add in second-year tackle Vederian Lowe, and the Vikings' top ten offensive linemen for the 2023 season may already be set. They could still draft or sign an OL if the value is right, but for the first offseason in a long time, it doesn't look like a major need. That depends on how you feel about the likelihood of Ingram taking a big step forward in year two, however.
Udoh, a sixth-round pick out of Elon in 2019, is a valuable piece to have as a backup tackle. He was a tackle in college and began his career there, but moved to right guard and started nearly the entire 2021 season for the Vikings on the interior. Last year, he returned to tackle and played well in the final two games of the season following O'Neill's injury. Udoh has great size and athleticism and should continue to improve with another year under Vikings offensive line coach Chris Kuper.
Schlottmann was signed last offseason, coming over from the Broncos with Kuper. He started four games at center late in the season when Bradbury was out with a back injury, then got hurt along with O'Neill in the Week 17 loss in Green Bay. Schlottmann is a replacement-level player who can theoretically give you competent play at guard or center, so bringing him back on a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum makes sense.
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