Ryan Van Demark, Bills
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Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark #74.
The Minnesota Vikings spent big in both free agency and the NFL draft last year to fortify the offensive line, but injury issues derailed those efforts. Thus, the franchise is taking extra precautions against the unexpected this time around.
That initiative most recently took the form of Minnesota signing an up-and-coming offensive tackle away from the Buffalo Bills via the restricted free agency market.
“The Vikings have signed OT Ryan Van Demark, a restricted free agent who has started six games for the Bills over the past two seasons, to an offer sheet,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported via X on Tuesday, March 17. “The Bills have the right of first refusal, but the Vikings wouldn’t owe the Bills any draft pick compensation if they don’t.”
What Seifert means is that Buffalo has the option to match the offer Minnesota extended Van Demark, hence the his categorization as a restricted free agent and not an unrestricted free agent.
Van Demark joined Buffalo as an undrafted rookie out of Connecticut in 2022 and the league assigned him a one-year, $3.52 million “right of first refusal tender” when free agency officially opened on March 11, according to Spotrac.
Van Demark played 47 offensive snaps and 22 snaps on special teams across 12 games during the 2023 campaign. He started two contests and appeared in 14 of them the following year, earning 199 snaps on offense and another 72 snaps on special teams.
All of his playing totals hit career highs last season, as Van Demark played in all 17 games, got four starting nods and saw 312 offensive snaps along with 75 special teams snaps. He will play the 2026 campaign at 28 years old, either back in Buffalo or for the Vikings.
Vikings Have Needed Reinforcements Behind Left Tackle Christian Darrisaw for Past 2 Seasons
Christian Darrisaw, Vikings
GettyLeft tackle Christian Darrisaw of the Minnesota Vikings.
Van Demark is capable of playing both tackle positions but will likely serve primarily as a reserve behind starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
Darrisaw, who is entering his sixth NFL campaign, which he will play at the age of 27, is one of the league’s premier left tackles when healthy. However, he has struggled to stay on the field since tearing multiple ligaments in his knee during the middle of the 2024 campaign.
He sat out the final 10 contests of that season with the injury and missed another seven games in 2025 due to lingering problems after returning from surgery to repair his torn ACL and MCL.
Van Demark is a solid option to fill that role next year at just over $3.5 million, though the Bills could have similar ideas after building him up as a player over the past three seasons.
Vikings Right Tackle Brian O’Neill Strong Candidate for Contract Extension
Minnesota Vikings right tackle, Brian O'Neill, celebrating with quarterback, Josh Dobbs, after a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons on November 5, 2023.
GettyMinnesota Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill.
In other news on the Vikings’ offensive line, right tackle Brian O’Neill remains a strong candidate for a contract extension, which would clear up more salary cap space for Minnesota to continue adding to its roster this offseason.
The Vikings can save close to $18 million against the 2026 salary cap by extending the two-time Pro Bowl lineman heading into his age-31 campaign. O’Neill is currently playing on a five-year, $92.5 million deal that he inked back in September 2021, which runs through next season.
O’Neill has missed just nine games over the course of his eight-year NFL career, though six of those have come over the past three seasons.