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New look for Vikings OL with departure of Berger, Sirles

On Friday guard-center Joe Berger announced his retirement after 13 years in the NFL trenches, seven of them with the Vikings. The versatile Jeremiah Sirles is also departing via free agency.
Credit: USA Today Sports Images
Both guard-tackle Jeremiah Sirles (L) and guard-center Joe Berger (R) announced Friday that they are leaving the Vikings.

EAGAN, Minn. - The offensive line charged with protecting new Vikings quarterback will have a different look than the one that toiled for Case Keenum in 2017-18.

On Friday guard-center Joe Berger announced his retirement after 13 years in the NFL trenches, seven of them with the Vikings.

Berger released a statement thanking the Vikings and their fans for supporting him during his time in Minnesota. "I was on some great teams before the Vikings, but it wasn't until I got to Minnesota that I truly felt at home," he wrote.

Berger wasn't the only one to cut the cord Friday. The versatile guard-tackle Jeremiah Sirles, an unrestricted free agent, signed a deal with the Carolina Panthers. There he joins former Vikings tackle Matt Kalil.

Sirles, listed as 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, played in 14 games with four starts at left guard for the Vikings in 2017-18. The year before he he played in 14 games with a career high 10 starts – nine at right tackle and one at left guard. He was extremely valuable for his ability to play almost anywhere on the offensive line.

"Jeremiah, he’s a battler," Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer told the Pioneer Press during the season. "He goes in there and fights and he figures out a way to get it done."

The deal Sirles signed with Carolina is for one year.

Losing both Berger and Sirles is softened a bit with yesterday's addition of guard and Minnesota native Tom Compton, who was Cousins' roommate when the two were in Washington. The Vikings are also expected to go heavy on offensive linemen during the upcoming draft. Mock drafts by both USA Today and The Bleacher Report have the club picking Iowa center James Daniels with the 30th pick of the first round, while a handful of other prognosticators say the Vikings will select UTEP guard Will Hernandez.

Then again, GM Rick Spielman is known for his draft day package trades, so nothing is set in stone.

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