The Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line is crumbling, and the cracks are starting to show on the scoreboard. Already plagued by injuries and inconsistency, the unit took another devastating blow during their trip to London, where star right tackle Brian O’Neill suffered a sprained MCL in a narrow three-point loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 28, 2025. The injury, confirmed by an MRI on Monday, September 29, per the Daily Norseman, will sideline the two-time Pro Bowler (2021, 2024) for an undetermined period, further exposing an offensive line that has failed to gel all season.
While the diagnosis offers a glimmer of hope—no tear, no surgery, and no season-ending injury—it’s cold comfort for a Vikings team that has yet to field its full starting offensive line for a single snap in 2025. O’Neill, a cornerstone of the unit and currently in the midst of a five-year, $92.5 million contract through 2026, left the game in the first quarter, forcing backup left tackle Justin Skule to step in. Skule will likely start again when Minnesota faces the Cleveland Browns in England next week, the second leg of their two-game European stint.
The Vikings’ offensive line has been a revolving door of injuries and absences this season. Minnesota invested heavily in the unit after a disappointing 2024 campaign, where they struggled in a Week 18 loss to the Detroit Lions and were dismantled in a blowout defeat to the Los Angeles Rams during Super Wildcard Weekend. To address those woes, the Vikings drafted guard Donovan Jackson in the first round and signed former Indianapolis Colts standouts Will Fries ($88 million) and Ryan Kelly ($18 million) to bolster the interior.
But the reinforcements haven’t delivered the desired stability. Jackson, sidelined by a wrist injury requiring surgery, won’t return until at least Week 7. Center Ryan Kelly has played in only three of four games, exiting Week 2 early with a concussion and missing Week 3 entirely. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw, recovering from torn knee ligaments that cut his 2024 season short, sat out the first two games of 2025. The result? Minnesota’s starting five—O’Neill, Darrisaw, Jackson, Fries, and Kelly—have yet to share the field together. With O’Neill now sidelined, the earliest chance for a fully healthy line may not come until after the team’s Week 6 bye.
The lack of continuity has had dire consequences. Minnesota’s offensive line has allowed a league-worst 18 sacks through just four weeks, a statistic that tells only part of the story. In their two losses this season, the unit has been overwhelmed. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4, the Vikings surrendered 14 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss, and six sacks. In Week 2, the Atlanta Falcons piled on with 11 quarterback hits, six sacks, and five tackles for loss. The pressure has not only stifled Minnesota’s offense but also contributed to a significant injury to starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who suffered a high ankle sprain against Atlanta and has missed the last two games.
The upcoming matchup against the Cleveland Browns, who boast one of the NFL’s most formidable defensive fronts with 11 sacks on the season, promises to be another stern test for Minnesota’s beleaguered line. With Skule stepping in for O’Neill and Jackson still weeks away, the Vikings face an uphill battle to protect their quarterback and salvage their season.
The Vikings’ offensive line was supposed to be a strength in 2025, a revamped unit capable of protecting McCarthy and powering a playoff push. Instead, it’s been a liability, unable to stay healthy or perform when it matters most. O’Neill’s injury is just the latest setback in a season already defined by adversity. As Minnesota prepares to face Cleveland and beyond, the question looms: can this battered offensive line find a way to come together before it’s too late?