Leading up to the start of the 2015 NFL draft on Thursday, we'll be taking a position-by-position look at the Minnesota Vikings' roster:
Position: Offensive line
Current personnel: John Sullivan (signed through 2017), Brandon Fusco (2019), Phil Loadholt (2016), Matt Kalil (2015), Mike Harris (2015), David Yankey (2017), Joe Berger (2016), Antonio Richardson (2016), Austin Wentworth (2016), Carter Bykowski (2015)
Projected starters: Kalil (LT), Berger (LG), Sullivan (C), Fusco (RG), Loadholt (RT)
Departures: Charlie Johnson (released), Vlad Ducasse (free agent; signed with Bears)
Total cap charge: $28.62 million (sixth)
Scouting report: A group that was thought to be a strength of the team at the beginning of last season turned into a liability, as injuries took out Fusco and Loadholt for a combined 18 games, and Kalil and Johnson struggled on the left side. The Vikings will look for a new starter at left guard this year. It's very possible they'll draft someone or add another veteran this spring -- and they'll keep a close eye on Kalil. It seems likely the Vikings will pick up their fifth-year option on Kalil this weekend, but the fourth overall pick in the 2012 draft needs a big year to show he's worthy of a lucrative long-term deal. Even Loadholt, who turns 30 next spring, struggled at times before tearing a pectoral muscle. It's an important year for a group that has been among the Vikings' most stable units for several years.
The last offensive lineman drafted: The Vikings took Yankey in the fifth round of the 2014 draft; the Stanford lineman didn't see the field in 2014, even with some injuries at both guard spots. Coach Mike Zimmer said Yankey needs to add strength before he's ready to see the field.
Potential targets: The Vikings could look at Iowa's Brandon Scherff, a tackle whose best NFL position might turn out to be guard. If the Vikings took Scherff and eventually decided he was a tackle, they could ultimately move him into Kalil's or Loadholt's spot. The team worked out Pittsburgh's T.J. Clemmings in March; a league source said last month the Vikings were looking at him as a tackle, but Clemmings also is a candidate to play guard in the NFL. The Vikings met with Georgia Tech guard/center Shaq Mason, who could have the mean streak to be an effective guard if he can refine his technique. They have also met with South Carolina guard A.J. Cann, who could be a target for the team in the second or third round.
Need rating (scale of 1 to 10): 8