One week and 41 snaps into his NFL career, Minnesota Vikings first-round offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie has moved into the position that he was supposed to have assumed this summer, during training camp.

Starter.

The former University of Miami standout, who made his belated NFL debut last Sunday in a loss to the New York Giants, has officially been elevated to the No. 1 unit by coach Mike Tice and should stop the Vikings' revolving door approach to the left tackle position. Minnesota has used three different starters at left tackle this season.

The tackle by committee approach was precipitated, of course, by Bryant's 98-day holdout. The seventh overall player selected in the draft signed what is essentially a five-year, $13.55 million contract on Nov. 1, practiced for a week, then played Sunday in his first regular-season contest.

After watching tape of the game, Tice elevated McKinnie for this week's game against the Green Bay Packers.

"I felt pretty good physically, all things considered, but I know there's still a long way to go," McKinnie said after his debut performance. "The one thing I found out, though, is that I can play at this level and play well. It will come together, and sooner than people think, believe me."

McKinnie, who had never allowed a sack while playing for the Hurricanes, surrendered a sack to Giants right end Kenny Holmes, but generally played well, especially for a guy who hadn't been in a game in eight months. The Minnesota staff awarded him solid enough grades, but there were mental lapses and the coaches want him to work on sustaining his blocks.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.