​Some combination of Blake Brandel and/or Michael Jurgens will be good enough at center. If it isn’t, then sprinkling in some Gavin Gerhardt will do the trick.Do the Vikings actually believe that?Talk is pretty cheap in the NFL. What’s of far more consequence is actions, especially when meaty money gets attached to those actions. Seeing Minnesota opt for free agent center Ethan Pocic would reveal that Minnesota hasn’t been as confident as previously proclaimed.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdam Schefter offered an update that may have caused some within the Vikings’ orbit to take notice. Check out what the ESPN insider had to say: “Browns starting center Ethan Pocic, who tore his Achilles last December, recently was cleared by Dr. Norman Waldrop to participate in training camp. Pocic is a free agent, and is said by a source to be ‘full go.’”Good timing.Had there been no injury, Mr. Pocic would already have a home. He has been a good starter for a long time and the NFL is always hungry for solid blocking. As a result, Pocic stands out as unique since he would have almost certainly been signed had there not been injury concerns to overcome. Maybe Minnesota will be able to get unusual value unusually late in the NFL offseason.Dec 8, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns guard Joel Bitonio (75) talks with center Ethan Pocic (55) at the line of scrimmage against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesVT’s Dustin Baker discussed the issue yesterday, exploring the possibility of signing the large lad with experience at both center and guard.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Pocic has built a solid nine-year NFL career,” Baker writes, “starting 97 of 114 regular-season games. Drafted by the Seahawks in 2017, Pocic initially played guard before settling in at center. Once he became a full-time starter, his snap count increased immensely, reaching 993 snaps in 2020.”More from Baker: “His most successful period began after joining Cleveland. From 2022 to 2025, Pocic started all 57 games he played for the Browns. His standout season was 2022, when he earned an impressive 78.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, with a run-blocking score to match. His pass protection, too, remained reliable.”“Though Pocic may no longer be at his 2022 peak, he remains an experienced starting center capable of immediately stabilizing an offensive line. That could be just what the doctor ordered for the 2026 Vikings,” Baker concluded.Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Blake Brandel (64) blocks for quarterback Sam Darnold (14) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.Now, here’s what adds a bit of extra seasoning: Vikings OL coach Keith Carter just sang the praises of Blake Brandel and Michael Jurgens. In fact, he seemed to insis