Sports
Ryan Kelly Put the Vikings in a Necessary Bind
When the Minnesota Vikings turned their focus to the offseason, two separate necessities were top of mind. They needed to find a quarterback who could push J.J. McCarthy down the depth chart. They also needed to clear nearly $50 million in salary cap space.
They have yet to do the former, but it sounds like Kyler Murray is their desired answer. We’ll have more clarity on that next week when free agency actually opens. Minnesota has done plenty of restructuring and made cuts to get below the salary cap, and one additional move was decided for them.
Minnesota Suddenly Has a Real Question at Center
On Friday afternoon, Ryan Kelly decided that his career was ready to be over. After suffering multiple concussions this season, and even more over the course of his career, it was time to call it an end.
Of course, Kelly’s departure leaves the Vikings without a starting center. Pro Football Focus ranked him as one of the best in the league last year. That’s why Minnesota signed him to a two-year deal last offseason. Kelly only played eight games last season, though, and Kevin O’Connell was consistently forced to test out his depth.
Michael Jurgens was initially slated to be the backup center, but instead lost the spot to Blake Brandel. He regained it and played there too, but now the Vikings have a pair of uncertain talents they’ll need to decide whether to trust.
The reality is that Kelly is irreplaceable by the talent on this roster. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Kelly was arguably the best part of the Vikings’ offensive line last season. When he suffered the first concussion, though, it needed to be over. Having a long history of brain injuries, it was tough to think he should get back out there.
Unfortunately, he did. Then Kelly suffered another concussion. That all but cemented his future, and the Vikings put him on injured reserve to finish the year. Of course, Kelly needed to talk with family and those among his inner circle, but with a wife and kids, this was always the right move.
Kelly is just 32 years old and should be prioritizing his quality of life. He has spent more than a decade in the NFL, and not subjecting himself to further issues is as straightforward as it gets.
The Minnesota Vikings now need to add another center to the rotation. Either Jurgens or Brandel could start, but neither is truly a desirable outcome. Kelly’s retirement saves a decent amount of money under the salary cap, and the team could certainly use some of that to find his replacement.
