Geoff

Schwartz

Schwartz visited the 49ers and Lions on Thursday. He’s also touched base with the Chiefs. Capable of playing both guard and tackle, he’d help the Vikings offset the loss of Steve Hutchinson.

Teams don’t seem concerned by the fact that Schwartz missed all of 2011 with a hip injury. He was a 16-game starter for the Panthers in 2010.

Schwartz, who turns 26 before the season, will likely battle for the Vikings’ starting right guard job, which was vacated by Anthony Herrera’s release. Schwartz can be a nasty run blocker when he’s at full strength, but he missed all of 2011 due to hip surgery. Schwartz has since declared himself 100 percent.

A restricted free agent, Schwartz wasn’t tendered a contract by the Panthers after missing all of 2011 with a hip injury. He’s still only 25, however, and started all 16 games in 2010. He could be a versatile, cheap steal on the open market if he’s back to full health.

Beat writer Darin Gantt insists Schwartz wasn’t tendered due to a “business decision,” but the Panthers would easily have offered him the one-year, $1.26 million proposal if they thought highly of Schwartz. Young and a mauler with starting experience at right guard and right tackle, Schwartz should have several suitors. Old pal John Fox may give him a look in Denver.

Schwartz is set to meet with the Vikings on Monday, so it’s possible he’ll never make it to San Francisco. Schwartz has already visited the Lions.

Capable of playing both guard and tackle, Schwartz started 11 games at right guard for the Panthers in 2010, but missed all of 2011 with a hip injury. Provided he’s healthy, the job should be Schwartz’s to lose after he landed $1.5 million last week.

Schwartz flashed dominant run-blocking ability as a 16-game starter at right tackle in 2010, but missed all of last season after hip surgery. Schwartz, 25, was a good enough prospect that we suspect he would have received a restricted free agent tender had he been healthy. Schwartz’s NFL future is uncertain.

Vikings coaches liked what they saw of the 2011 sixth-rounder’s 25 snaps in two fill-in appearances as a rookie. Fusco will have to hold off Chris DeGeare and former Panthers starter Geoff Schwartz to keep the job.

“There is nothing that anyone else has done that could unseat him,” Frazier said. Fusco has essentially won the job by default. Veteran Geoff Schwartz missed the majority of camp due to sports hernia surgery, and DeMarcus Love has missed time with a pectoral injury. We expect the revamped O-Line to be much improved from last season.