After watching Sam Darnold run for his life in a playoff loss ot the Los Angeles Rams in January, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell made a directive that the interior offensive line needed to be improved.
Enter Will Fries.
Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 free-agent guard behind only Trey Smith, who re-signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, Fries signed a five-year, $88 million contract with the Vikings in March.
It was quite a gamble on Fries, a 2021 seventh-round pick who has just two years as a starter under his belt with the Indianapolis Colts and is coming off a tibia fracture.
But there’s also a lot to like about the 27-year-old guard.
Speaking with Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller, Trench Warfare’s Brandon Thorn, regarded as one of the top NFL offensive and defensive line analysts, had high praise for the move the Vikings made for Fries, who brings something to Minnesota that the Vikings have not had in over a decade.
Will Fries Can Make Watching O-Line Fun Again for Vikings Fans
For years, the interior offensive line has been a pain point for the Vikings fan base, who watched centers fall back into the quarterback’s lap and guards stumble off the line far too often.
However, Fries brings an edge that the Vikings have not seen since the Brett Favre-era Vikings with Steve Hutchinson.
“He’s been one of my favorite players in the league on the offensive line for the last few years,” Thorn said of Fries on July 13.
“The thing that he brings, I think more than anything, he’s the enforcer of the offensive line, especially now in Minnesota. I mean, in Indy… he was arguably a little bit more nasty than Quenton Nelson at times, to be honest. I can’t think of a guy that you’ve had like this in a while,” Thorn added. “He’s definitely going to toe the line as a finisher. He’s going to get under defenders’ skin. He has enough size and definitely the power to back it up. So he’s going to be finishing guys, putting guys on the ground, setting the tone. It’s going to be really fun to watch because that’s how I see him, especially on this line. He’s going to be the enforcing kind of presence for you, and it makes it a lot of fun to watch. I really appreciate his game.”
Out-bullying Nelson, who has made the Pro Bowl all seven years he’s been in the league, is quite the feat from Fries, who surfaced as a top guard on the market after barely being selected in the 2022 draft.
Fries seems to have passed the eye test for Thorn and posted an 86.9 PFF grade through five games last season before his injury — but his contract will demand he puts that quality of play forth for an entire season.
Vikings Prepared if Fries Cannot Stay Healthy
GettyFormer Indianapolis Colts OL Will Fries #75 attempts to block Anthony Walker Jr. #5 of the Cleveland Browns.
After starting as a backup for the Colts, Fries ascended to starting status and was putting forth a Pro Bowl-caliber season before his tibia injury in Week 5 last year.
The Vikings bet on his potential with a massive deal that will pay him $17.5 million a season.
However, with only $34 million guaranteed, all in the first two years, the Vikings have an out if Fries does not live up to his Pro Bowl potential.
In 2027, the Vikings could cut Fries before the third day of the league year and not pay a dime.
The deal is entirely a prove-it deal for Fries, who will also benefit from his center from Indianapolis, Ryan Kelly, coming over from the Colts as well.
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