The Vikings’ Ill-Fated WR Swap Led to Snagging a Young Center

The Vikings’ ill-fated WR swap involved welcoming Adam Thielen back to Minnesota. Before the 2025 season ended, Mr. Thielen had been cut.

So, not a great outcome.

Part of what’s fascinating, though, is that the results of the Carolina trade are now being revealed. Minnesota brought Thielen back alongside a 7th in 2026 and a 5th in 2027. The Panthers got a 5th in 2026 alongside a 4th in 2027. The 7th was used by the Vikings, being sunk into young fella Gavin Gerhardt to compete at center.

The Vikings’ Ill-Fated WR Swap
Bringing in Adam Thielen Connected to Gavin Gerhardt

At this stage, much remains undetermined within that Adam Thielen trade.

Carolina had the 5th in 2026 but moved it out in a separate trade. Minnesota kept the Panthers pick, using it on Gerhardt (as mentioned). But then there’s Minnesota’s upcoming 5th for 2027 alongside Carolina’s 4th in 2027. Each represents the best draft pick that each side acquired; each remains a mystery since the 2027 NFL Draft hasn’t yet arrived.

What is known is the center addition.

Mr. Gerhardt received praise leading into the 2026 NFL Draft but wasn’t considered a top option at center. Consider what Lance Zierlein had to say: “Gerhardt is a 49-game starter with outstanding leadership qualities to go with adequate size and length. He’s going to be more of a positional blocker than a people-mover, with the ability to find landmarks and fight for positioning. He’s aware of protection and makes the most of his length to keep rushers out of his frame. He’s a center-only prospect, which hurts his roster chances, but the tape is good enough to give him a chance.”

Being a hard worker with plenty of starting experience is a good tidbit. Playing center means needing to boast leadership abilities. Before the snap, the center needs to adjust protection to account for the threat being presented by the defense. As a result, the snapper needs to have some formidable mental bandwidth, especially within a complex Kevin O’Connell scheme.

Getting snagged in the 7th means he now has the chance that Zierlein mentions, meaning the onus has shifted to the young lad to prove Minnesota smart for picking him.

Per PFF, Gerhardt was just solid last year. He earned a 67.2 grade, getting a better assessment for his pass blocking (74.3) than his run blocking (64.9). Previous years involved Gerhardt demanding a better grade overall while demonstrating a better balance between his pass and run blocking.

Best guess as of early June is that Blake Brandel is the Week 1 starter at center. Rounding out the competition are Michael Jurgens, Delby Lemieux, and Gavin Gerhardt. In all likelihood, there will be a maximum of one true backup center alongside a third option who contains the flexibility to be a guard.

On a basic level, Gerhardt looks like Ryan Kelly since both stand at 6’4″ while weighing roughly 310 pounds. Kelly, of course, was a high-level athlete who shined throughout his career, so that’s an unfair comparison in a lot of ways. The expectations for Gerhardt involve being solid depth, not a Pro Bowl starter.

The new lineman is 24.

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