Vikings Finally Get Some Good News
The Minnesota Vikings had to endure some blows in recent weeks. In the first preseason contest, wideout Rondale Moore suffered a season-ending knee injury that will knock him out for the second consecutive season. Center Zeke Correll and tackle Matt Nelson are also out for the year.
Justin Jefferson suffered a “minor injury” but has missed more than two weeks of critical practice time already, as there are only three and a half more weeks to go until the Vikings hit the field in Chicago to face the Bears.
Vikings Finally Get Some Good News
Better news came out of Eagan, Minnesota, concerning another star player. Christian Darrisaw seems to be in good shape and is an option for the Week 1 bout.
Darrisaw suffered a torn ACL and MCL in last year’s regular-season loss against Los Angeles and missed the remainder of the season. This offseason, the timeline remained unclear, but Week 1 was considered a stretch for the most part.
Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling said this Wednesday that “things are trending upward” for Darrisaw’s return.
“I would bet he plays in the opener … I think that’s kind of where things are trending,” Goessling added. “I think Darrisaw, the way he has come along, and the way I’ve heard people talk about him. I think I’ve heard enough to be optimistic about where that goes. I think that’s kind of where things are trending.”
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Darrisaw surprisingly avoided a stint on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp and quickly participated in some team drills. In Wednesday’s joint practice session, the standout protector once again took reps in team drills, and with almost four weeks to go, there certainly is reason for optimism.
He didn’t suit up in the preseason opener, and considering Kevin O’Connell’s cautious approach in those exhibitions, he’s unlikely to take a snap in any of those three games.
If he ultimately misses the Week 1 goal, veteran Justin Skule is expected to step in. Skule was hired for exactly that job, but has shown some vulnerability against Jonathan Greenard, although that is undoubtedly a hard matchup for anyone, let alone a backup. Sophomore Walter Rouse might have a chance to usurp him, and Blake Brandel, last year’s left guard, could be another candidate. Brandel started his career at tackle and was Darrisaw’s backup in 2022.
Regardless, Darrisaw’s presence would surely give the offense a boost. Early in his career — in his second season, to be exact — Rick Spielman’s last first-rounder established himself among the elite left tackles in football. In the following two seasons, he confirmed that he belongs in the upper echelon of blindside protectors.
His availability would help young quarterback J.J. McCarthy feel comfortable in the pocket. Furthermore, he is a prime run blocker, and considering the first-time starter under center, that running game will be asked to carry more of the load than in seasons past. Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason would benefit from the large blocker bullying defenders around.
On Wednesday, Vikings.com’s Lindsey Young wrote, “Christian Darrisaw is just happy to be back playing football. Chatting with reporters Wednesday following Minnesota’s joint practice with New England, Darrisaw said it’s ‘just like riding a bike’ to be playing the sport he loves.”
Once Darrisaw was out, the Vikings made the move to acquire experienced blocker Cam Robinson, but the difference between the elite left tackle and an average starter was too significant to ignore. The club has overhauled the interior, and Darrisaw will play next to rookie Donovan Jackson once he’s ready.
Darrisaw said after competing with the Patriots, “I’ve been trusting this process throughout every day. I know the trainers wouldn’t put me in a bad position, and I know how my body’s feeling, I’m feeling great. Today was a win. Part of that rehab process. We’ll see how things respond, but we’ll just keep taking it a day at a time.”
The lineman is 26 years old, and fans would rejoice if their cornerstone were on the field September 8th.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.