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VT Chats with Will Fries: “You Get to Just Unleash Some Violence on Your Guy”
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- VT Chats with Will Fries: “You Get to Just Unleash Some Violence on Your Guy”
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
RG1 Will Fries got brought to the Twin Cities to offer the Vikings some snarl. He didn't disappoint at joint practice with the Ravens.
After the day of work finished, I pulled Mr. Fries to the side to chat about how his day went. Our conversation veered into talking about how his body is feeling, the art of being a pulling guard, and moving into green grass to help with a screen. Fries, in short, is a lot of fun to talk about ball with.
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VT Chats with Violent RG1 Will Fries
Fries is not immune to the charms of walloping defenders. In fact, he appears quite happy to oblige.
When asked about pulling, Fries dug into what makes the assignment so fun for a guard: "You don't want to oversimplify it, but I really think it comes down to mindset […] when it comes down to it, power is one of the oldest plays in football."
He went on: "You get some momentum going, you get to see your target, and you get to just unleash some violence on your guy." Not long afterwards, Fries said that it's a lot of fun getting into open room for "a highlight-reel block."
Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Will Fries celebrates in the end zone after a touchdown during second-quarter action on Jan. 4, 2026, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The scoring play highlighted Minnesota's offensive execution against the Green Bay Packers and gave the Vikings another memorable moment in a rivalry matchup late in the regular season. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images.
Last year, Will Fries was solid but didn't offer tremendous play.
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PFF is one spot to have assessed his work, giving him an average 61.7 grade. His report card sees 3 sacks attached to his name alongside the 4 quarterback hits and 37 pressures allowed. Worse yet, there were 3 penalties, too.
Part of the problem for Mr. Fries is that he was coming off serious injury.
The right guard was in the middle of a breakout season for the Colts in 2024. Playing elite football for the Indianapolis o-line isn't shocking since they create excellent blockers down there. He then had a leg injury undermine the majority of his year, meaning he was still recovering for a good portion of the 2025 offseason.
Ask Fries and he'll say that his body is back in a good spot: "Feel great. Last year, you kind of lie to yourself and tell yourself you're feeling good and it's not always the case. But to go through a full offseason of training and get your body in a good spot and not have any of those residual feelings anymore is a great feeling. So I'm extremely grateful for where I'm at."
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Will Fries (76), offensive tackle Brian O'Neill (75) and fullback C.J. Ham (30) celebrate after a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
At one point yesterday, Will Fries found himself in the middle of a practice kerfuffle. Kevin O'Connell did emphasize that keeping the rough stuff between the whistles is the way to go — doing so alongside a dog metaphor when talking about the rookies — but sometimes a few extracurriculars are part of welcoming a gritty guard into the mix.
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Will Fries, 28, stands at 6'6″ and is listed as weighing 321 pounds. He's working into the second season of a meaty-money deal he signed last offseason coming in at five years and promised compensation sitting at roughly $88 million.
Watch for the RG1 with the nickname "Spud" on Sundays in the regular season. He'll be wearing #76 and looking to get a block or two onto the highlights.
