Vikings Center Battle: Brandel to Start | Duluth News

Duluth News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 20, 2026 · 1m

The Minnesota Vikings’ center position is locked in — Blake Brandel, the five-year veteran backup, is poised to start after Ryan Kelly’s retirement and no serious competition emerged this offseason. Despite a solid snap count last year and a solid draft pick in Michael Jurgens, Brandel’s performance grades were below average, and even a questionable snap to QB raised eyebrows. The team’s lack of free agent signings and the underwhelming rookie’s stats point to Brandel as the clear choice. While seventh-round pick Gavin Gerhardt offers potential, he’s not seen as an immediate threat. The…