Will Fries Struggles To Justify Minnesota Vikings' $88 Million Investment Through 10 Weeks
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 Vikings Offensive Line Investment Strategy Under Scrutiny
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.
Capitals can’t stave off an eighth loss in their last 10 games
The Washington Capitals played well again at five-on-five and lost again. The story of the season remains the same, with a 3-2 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils.
I feel like a broken record, but the Capitals are also operating like a broken record player, so it all tracks.
- Instead of looking at this individual game, let’s go over the last 10 games, in which the Capitals hold a 2-6-2 record. During that particularly rough stretch in the standings, the Capitals have owned 54.6 percent of shot attempts, 55.7 percent of expected goals, 55.9 percent of scoring chances, and 53.7 percent of high-danger chances at five-on-five. They rank no lower than sixth in the league in any of those marks over that span. For comparison’s sake, the Boston Bruins, who are 8-2 in their last 10 games, have garnered just 47.9 percent of five-on-five expected goals in their games.
- The issue is obviously still special teams and a lack of consistent goal scoring. The Devils went 1-for-3 on their power play, leaving the Capitals with a 72.9 percent effective penalty kill this season, which ranks 28th in the league. The Caps did not score a power-play goal on their one opportunity, leaving with the 30th-ranked power play at 14.6 percent effectiveness.
- Connor McMichael was a bright spot in the loss as he seemed to finally wake up once moved back onto the wing. He snapped a nine-game goalless streak and had points (1g, 1a) on both of the Capitals’ goals in the game. He fired four shots on goal, which is his second-highest single-season total this season. The Capitals need much more out of him.
- Alex Ovechkin scored his 902nd career goal to tie the game. Ovechkin, 40, basically fueled the comeback by himself, recording two points (1g, 1a), three shots on goal, 11 shot attempts, five individual scoring chances, three individual high-danger chances, and four hits.
- Hendrix Lapierre played just 8:04 in the loss and has played fewer than 10 minutes in five of his last seven games. I’m not sure how much longer the team, already struggling with depth scoring issues, can last with a line that the head coach clearly doesn’t trust. It may be time soon to try something different, whether that means recalling someone like Ilya Protas from the AHL’s Hershey Bears or exploring a solution elsewhere in the league.
- With John Carlson out and the Capitals chasing the game from very early on in the first period, Jakob Chychrun ended up playing 28:22 of ice time.
