One of the more glossed over storylines for the Minnesota Vikings this offseason has been the health of franchise left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
Darrisaw tore the ACL in his left knee during a Thursday Night Football game against the Los Angeles Rams in late October last year. That means he’ll be about nine months removed from the injury when the Vikings kick-off training camp on July 26.
Now, Darrisaw is a different animal when it comes to toughness. As ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported back in June, Darrisaw was already back on the field during Minnesota’s minicamp workouts, which is a sign that he could dodge the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and be ready to protect young quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s blindside by the start of the regular season.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports expects Darrisaw’s comeback to be a major story in 2025, not only because of his talent, but because of the talent GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings added alongside him this offseason.
With a bulked-up interior that’s expected to feature Donovan Jackson at left guard, Will Fries at right guard and Ryan Kelly at center, Edwards predicts Darrisaw will rise to his first All-Pro distinction, based on testing data and advanced analytics.
“Christian Darrisaw would be the clear choice if he were not returning from ligament strains,” Edwards wrote. “One would think that is a complicated recovery that would render him below peak performance for part or all of the upcoming season. It is also worth noting that this is one of the most difficult position groups to crack when considering Williams, Sewell, Johnson, Wirfs and Slater are almost annually in contention.
“Darrisaw should benefit from having improved guard play next to him. The 26-year-old is in the neighborhood of the physical prototype at 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds. He has not been selected to a Pro Bowl yet, either.”
Minnesota rewarded Darrisaw with a four-year, $104 million extension last summer. He was on pace for a huge year in 2024, scoring a 97.1% efficiency rating in pass protection with two sacks and 10 total pressures allowed on 231 snaps. It's no secret in NFL circles that he's on the short list of the game's best left tackles.
The Vikings made a concerted effort to build around McCarthy this offseason, adding what should be a dynamic running back tandem in Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, and drafting standout Maryland wide receiver Tai Felton to go with the team’s revamped interior offensive line. Improved protection and a consistent run game figure to help Darrisaw in his comeback season as well, and it’s easy to see some long overdue recognition on the horizon if he can stay healthy.
