Vikings starting offensive line is slowly getting back together, but who’s at center?

Who’s starting at quarterback is the biggest public question surrounding the Vikings this week, but there’s also an open competition for who’s snapping to whoever ends up getting the nod.

As the Vikings look poised to return to a near-full starting offensive line, they’re still three games away from veteran center Ryan Kelly (concussion) being able to come off injured reserve.

Backup Michael Jurgens is returning from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the Browns game Oct. 5; Blake Brandel, the Vikings’ O-line everyman, stepped in and played well.

“We’ll go with the best five we can,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Wednesday when asked if Brandel had a shot to hold on to the reins.

During the part of practice open to reporters, Brandel started by taking reps with Carson Wentz while Jurgens and Joe Huber rotated snapping to J.J. McCarthy.

Right guard Will Fries is the only member of the projected starting five to play every game this season. He was complimentary of Brandel’s ability to step in at such a critical position.

“Never having played center before, he was super smart, super tough and to go out there on basically short notice and put himself in position to do really well, I thought he played really awesome,” Fries said Wednesday.

O’Connell said left tackle Christian Darrisaw will “be in a good spot” after making an early exit against the Browns due to a high snap count against the Steelers that required extra rest for his surgically-repaired left knee. He was not listed on the injury report.

O’Neill, who sprained his right MCL against the Steelers on Sept. 28, was listed as limited. Jackson practiced in limited capacity the final day in London; he was again a limited participant Wednesday.

Jackson’s coming back from a wrist injury that required surgery the Monday after the Bengals game on Sept. 21.

He’d actually suffered the injury against the Falcons the week before, but decided to play through it when training staff told him he could delay surgery a week, though it wasn’t their recommendation.

“Couldn’t get any worse,” Jackson said Monday, his first time speaking since the injury was revealed. “That was my mindset.”

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Entering the Vikings’ bye last week, O’Connell said he and his staff would examine team identity, from what it is now to what they want it to be.

The through-line of what O’Connell and his coordinators found can be boiled down to turnovers — both preventing them on offense and forcing more of them on defense, as the Vikings did last season in route to a 14-3 regular-season record.

“I think the score [of the Bengals game] was indicative of a lot of things looking like they were in alignment with how we want to play,” O’Connell said Monday of the 48-10 win. “I think the defensive opportunities for turnovers will come, and they’ll come with us being efficient on offense and maintaining possessions and scoring some points, and trying to let those guys play with a lead at times.”

Added offensive coordinator Wes Phillips on Tuesday: “More than anything it’s about not hurting ourselves.”

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores less directly spoke about turnovers, but he did talk about limiting points and seemed to allude to them by mentioning he wants his side of the ball to be “having a good time.”

What’s more fun than celebrating a turnover, which the Vikings went viral for multiple times last season?

Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (neck) stretched alongside teammates and was in full pads but was ultimately listed as limited on the practice report. It’s his first practice since Week 3 ahead of the Bengals game in which he only played eight snaps returning from a concussion.

Defensive lineman Ty Ingram-Dawkins (hip) was also limited. Outside linebacker Tyler Batty, who’s in his 21-day practice window coming off injured reserve for a knee injury, was a full participant, as was Blake Cashman (hamstring).

Running backs Aaron Jones (hamstring) and Ty Chandler (knee) were both seen on the rehab field Wednesday. Jones will be eligible for return from injured reserve after the Eagles game; Chandler has missed his mandatory four games but has not had his 21-day practice window opened.