The Minnesota Vikings made Will Fries one of the NFL’s highest-paid guards this offseason, awarding him a five-year, $88 million contract with $44 million guaranteed.
Through 10 weeks of the 2025 season, that investment has not produced the expected returns. Fries is posting career-low blocking metrics at right guard.
Fries’ pass block win rate sits at 88.5 percent, ranking 57th among 66 qualifying guards.
That mark represents a significant decline from his 92.4 percent rate in 5 games last season. It also falls below his 90.9 percent figure from his full 2023 campaign with Indianapolis.
The run blocking numbers tell an even more concerning story for Minnesota’s offensive line investment.
Fries’ run block win rate has dropped to 66.3 percent this season, placing him 55th out of 65 guards. That figure is down from 74.3 percent in his limited 2024 action and 70.3 percent in 2023.
Minnesota’s front office targeted Fries after his impressive tape from 5 games in 2024 before a broken tibia ended his season.
The Colts had not viewed him as an elite talent during his 2023 starting role. But his brief 2024 flash created enough optimism for the Vikings to outbid other suitors.
Fries experienced a setback during his offseason recovery from the tibia fracture, which may still be impacting his performance.
The Vikings have also shuffled personnel on both sides of him along the interior line. That lack of continuity has complicated his adjustment to a new system and new teammates.
The contract structure suggests that Minnesota viewed Fries as a cornerstone piece for their future offensive line.
Instead, they are receiving below-average production at a premium price point through the season’s first 10 weeks.
Minnesota’s aggressive spending on Fries represents part of a broader offensive line rebuild strategy.
The Vikings committed significant resources to upgrading their interior protection this offseason after years of quarterback pressure issues.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah prioritized experience and upside in free agency rather than the draft.
The signing of Fries was intended to bring stability to the right guard position for several seasons. At age 27, he was entering his prime years for this role.
Instead, the Vikings are learning the risks of paying for projection rather than proven production.
Minnesota’s offensive line ranks in the middle of the pack in most team metrics this season, despite the significant spending.
The interior struggles have limited the effectiveness of both the rushing attack and the play-action passing game.
Coaching staff adjustments continue as they search for the right combination of personnel groupings.
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This is the kind of adversity the Philadelphia Eagles have avoided to this point in the season. Now, they’ll have to figure out how to replace one of the NFL’s elite players.
Multiple reports on Monday, November 17, said that 5-time NFL All-Pro right offensive tackle and 2-time Super Bowl champion Lane Johnson could land on injured reserve and miss 4-6 weeks with a Lisfranc sprain in his foot suffered in a 16-9 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 11.
“Eagles five-time All-Pro OT Lane Johnson suffered a Lisfranc injury during Sunday night’s win over the Lions, per sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account. “It is not expected to be a season ending injury, but he could be headed to injured reserve.”
Johnson left the game against the Lions and didn’t return, as did center Cam Jurgens. Johnson was replaced in the lineup by Fred Johnson.
The 6-foot-6, 325-pound Johnson is widely considered one of the greatest offensive linemen not just in Eagles history but in NFL history and a likely future Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Johnson is in his 13th season and signed a 1-year, $25 million contract extension this offseason and has approximately $163.4 million in career earnings.
“Eagles OT Lane Johnson, one of the game’s best, suffered a Lisfranc sprain Sunday,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account. “He’s out the next 4-6 weeks because of the foot injury, but will seek a second opinion and more tests. This likely lands him on IR, but belief is not season-ending.”
Johnson’s latest injury underlined bigger injury issues the Eagles have dealt with all season on the offensive line when it comes to their 5 projected starters.
“Here’s an underrated Eagles storyline that could explain Philadelphia’s offensive struggles: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen and Lane Johnson have played every offensive snap in just ONE game this season,” Philly Special’s Anthony DiBona wrote on his official X Account.
“It feels like Lane Johnson might be getting to the point of his career that Jason Peters was at the end, where he’s still really good when he’s on the field, but injuries pull him off relatively frequently,” Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly wrote on X.
“Lane Johnson is a first ballot HOF and one of the best Eagles of all time,” Eagles fan Patrick Philly PMC wrote on his official X account. “But Father Time is undefeated. The Eagles need to find his replacement.”
In Week 10, Johnson left a Monday Night Football win over the Green Bay Packers with an ankle injury and returned to the game.
Now, the Eagles will likely have to figure out how to maneuver the rest of the season without one of the NFL’s dominant blockers.
“The good news is Fred Johnson is a solid Lane Johnson replacement for a few weeks,” Go Birds Pod podcast host Eliot Shorr-Parks wrote on his official X account. “The bad news is now that 6-man OLine they have loved this season is now worse with Matt Pryor in Fred’s place.