Brian

O'Neill

O’Neill is also rehabbing a calf issue in addition to the Achilles. The Achilles is a tricky body part to rehab, to put it mildly, though it is easier for a lineman than skill player. Highly-paid O’Neill has become an increasingly steady presence on Kirk Cousins’ right side.

O’Neil was placed on injured reserve with a calf injury yesterday. This update confirms the worst outcome, though it’s possible O’Neil will be ready for the 2023 season. Closing out the best season of his career, O’Neil was ranked as Pro Football Focus’s No. 7 tackle through Week 17. His loss will be a major blow to a Minnesota offensive line that is breaking down at the end of the season. The mounting injuries could be a substantial issue for Kirk Cousins in the playoffs.

He’ll miss the rest of the season. Minnesota’s offensive line has been plagued by injuries over the last month and that played a big part in Kirk Cousins’ Week 17 implosion. O’Neill will likely return next season as he begins year one of an extension that starts him at a $19.6 million cap figure. He had a career-best 83.1 PFF blocking grade in 2022. Minnesota also placed backup C Austin Schlottman on IR, so Chris Reed and Oli Udoh figure to see a lot of snaps in Week 18.

O’Neill was helped off the field after chasing down a Packers defender on a pick six in the first quarter. He was then carted to the Vikings’ locker room and looks to be a long shot to return. Minnesota’s offensive line is officially ravaged by injuries as they take on a feisty Packers front seven.

The massive contract makes O’Neill one of the ten highest-paid tackles on a year basis. Pro Football Focus graded the 25-year-old as a top-25 tackle last season. He was also graded as an elite run-blocking tackle. Given Minnesota’s commitment to establishing the run with Dalvin Cook, O’Neill’s prowess in the ground game was certainly viewed as a highly valuable asset. After adding Virginia Tech tackle Christian Darrisaw via the draft, Minnesota’s line should take a small step forward from their poor 2020 showing.

According to Wolfson, the Vikings are also working on a contract extension for right tackle Brian O’Neill. Wolfson noted that he believes both players will receive extensions before the year is over. The Vikings have made a habit of extending players on the first day of training camp which could be the result for Smith and O’Neill. Both players have contracts that expire at the end of the upcoming season. Smith, at 32 years old, has shown no signs of his age yet. In 2020, the veteran safety tallied five interceptions and 10 pass defenses. Pro Football Focus graded him as a top-10 safety in pass coverage (minimum 300 coverage snaps). A multi-year extension for the perennial stud safety is inevitable.

O’Neill is listed at 297 pounds, which is certainly on the lighter side for an NFL offensive lineman. Zimmer thinks O’Neill “could use another 10 pounds,” but the coach remains impressed the sophomore’s “physicality and demeanor.” O’Neill started the final 11 games at right tackle as a rookie, receiving poor marks from Pro Football Focus for his pass protection.

O’Neill (6’7/297) turned pro as a redshirt junior after beginning his career at tight end, manning right tackle as a freshman and sophomore, and moving to left tackle in 2017, where he earned first-team All-ACC. PFF College credited O’Neill with the third-highest pass-blocking efficiency rating (98.3) in this year’s tackle class, and O’Neill allowed just one sack over his final 825 pass-blocking snaps at Pitt. O’Neill then crushed the Combine with 85th-percentile SPARQ results and measured in with 34 1/8-inch arms. O’Neill needs weight-room work to improve his core strength, but he offers numerous NFL left tackle traits.

O’Neill was one of the top pass blockers in this year’s class, allowing only one sack his junior year. With Riley Reiff locked in on the blindside, O’Neill could end up at right tackle if the Vikings decide to keep Mike Remmers at guard.