The Vikings May Have Found Some Steals With Their Day 3 Linemen

Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders was one of the more exciting and memorable in recent Minnesota Vikings history (especially with the blissful ignorance of the bad news that was to come the following week). First-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy stole the show, and sixth-round rookie kicker Will Reichard booted a 37-yard field goal to win the game. Undrafted rookie linebacker Bo Richter also terrorized the Raiders’ backfield in the second half and may have become the latest UDFA phenomenon in Minnesota.

However, these weren’t the only rookies with strong showings on Saturday. Sixth-round tackle Walter Rouse, seventh-round center Michael Jurgens, and seventh-round defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez did all they could to earn roster spots. These three play positions that can often be overlooked, especially the two offensive linemen. However, they also man positions where the Vikings sorely need quality depth.

Michael Jurgens, C, No. 65, and Walter Rouse, T, No. 78

Nobody played more on either side of the ball than Jurgens and Rouse. Each was in the game for  52 plays. Jurgens spent time at center and guard in college and took all 52 snaps at center on Saturday. Rouse lined up at right tackle for 24 snaps and took the other 28 at left tackle.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave Jurgens a 59.7-overall grade. PFF graded him higher in pass-blocking, giving him a 69.7 pass-blocking grade. According to PFF, he didn’t give up any pressures or hits on the quarterback. His 55.4 run-blocking grade was slightly below average.

Rouse graded out even more favorably with PFF. His 72.9 overall grade was the sixth-highest among all Vikings offensive players. He had an impressive 71.1 run-blocking grade, while his pass-blocking grade was 71.7, both well above average. They only credited him with one pressure and one hurry allowed.

Jurgens and Rouse showed great power in both of the two clips below. Jurgens is trying to work his way up to the linebacker but has to help with the combo block on the nose tackle. Although it’s messy, he makes his block on the nose tackle and ends up pancaking the linebacker. Rouse takes his man for a dance and has no problem wearing the pants while doing it.

If you aren't paying attention, you might think this next play is the same clip. However, Jurgens takes on the nose tackle by himself and manhandles him, opening up a huge hole. Rouse maneuvers his guy with ease again, displaying great footwork in the process.

The final clip for Jurgens and Rouse comes on J.J. McCarthy’s second touchdown pass. It doesn’t look like much, but the two rookie linemen show off more nuance than pure grit. Jurgens does a quick chip to help guard Tyrese Robinson but keeps his eyes up to pick up the blitz. After playing right tackle all day, Rouse is now at left tackle. He gets great depth out of his stance and completely washes the defensive end out of the play.

Levi Drake Rodriguez, DL, No. 50

Known as “Prospect X” in an Athletic article before the draft, the Vikings gave Rodriguez plenty of playing time against the Raiders. He played 25 snaps, tied for 10th most on the defense. His 68.9 PFF grade was the eighth-highest defensive grade on the Vikings and second among interior defensive linemen.

Sometimes defensive linemen can be effective without standing out to the casual fan, but that wasn’t the case for Rodriguez. Training camp spectators lauded him for his relentless motor, and it showed. He registered a batted pass, one sack, and two “stops,” which PFF refers to as “failures” for the offense.

Rodriguez made challenging splash plays. Watch the following clip of his batted pass on a third-down screen pass.

Rodriguez is aggressive in ripping past the guard, although that’s part of the offensive line’s job during a screen. However, Rodriguez shows great awareness and gets both arms up when Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew cocks his arm to pass. The batted pass sets up a fourth down.

In the play below, Rodriguez showcases his speed as he stunts inside to get a sack, again on third down.

Rodriguez does a great job disengaging the center before twisting inside untouched. He briefly puts his hands up to disrupt a potential pass before sacking the quarterback, again showing great awareness for a seventh-round rookie.

Finally, this last clip displays Rodriguez’s power. It was so impressive that I even included the sideline angle to show how far back he pushes the tight end. He long-arms the tight end and pushes him two yards back.

All three players can bolster Minnesota’s depth. Interior offensive line play has long been an issue for the Vikings. They have several veterans along the interior but are older and not especially unexpendable. Guards Dan Feeney and Dalton Risner have starting experience, but Feeney is 30. Risner is 29, and neither has been a game-changer. Jurgens’ youth and versatility could make him a more attractive option than one of them. Starting center Garrett Bradbury is 29, too, and he may not be the ideal option beyond 2024.

Offensive tackle is in a better spot than guard. Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill form one of the best tackle combos in the league. David Quessenberry was their backup “swing” tackle in 2023 and played well when Minnesota needed an injury replacement. However, he is 33 years old. The Vikings will probably not carry four tackles on the active roster, and they could have trouble sneaking Rouse through waivers onto the practice squad if he keeps playing like he did on Saturday. Therefore, they could cut Quessenberry, 33, in favor of Rouse.

Of the three rookies we’ve discussed, no one has a better chance to make an immediate impact than Levi Drake Rodriguez. Interior defensive line was one of Minnesota’s biggest question marks heading into the offseason. Much like the interior offensive line, a few veterans have experience along the defensive line. However, their careers may be even more non-descript than their offensive counterparts.

Outside of Harrison Phillips, no one else on the interior defensive line is guaranteed to start, let alone make the roster. Jonathan Bullard has been on the roster since 2022, but he is 30 and isn’t flashy. Jonah Williams has starting experience from his time with the Los Angeles Rams but only has three career sacks. Rodriguez has a real chance to make the initial 53-man roster, play week 1, and work his way up the depth chart.

Fans are rightfully upset about the news about McCarthy’s knee, but there are plenty of other rookies to be excited about. Jurgens, Rouse, and Rodriguez need to keep stacking good practices and preseason games together. Still, Saturday was the first step in the right direction on a big stage.