Selection of Christian Darrisaw Lauded as One of NFL’s Best Offseason Moves
Dustin Baker
|
Before the 2021 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings were rumored in the handful of teams to express interest in former Baltimore Ravens left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Since the departure of Bryant McKinnie from the Vikings in 2011, Minnesota has struggled to pinpoint a steady left tackle.
That’s why Orlando Brown to Minnesota seemed like a realistic transaction. The 25-year-old was “stuck’ on the Ravens depth chart, precluded from starting at left tackle as that duty belongs to Ronnie Stanley — an All-Pro talent. Therefore, Brown tweeted that he is emphatically a left tackle, not wanting any of the right tackle payday nonsense.
Ultimately, Brown found his way to the Super Bowl runner-up Kansas City Chiefs in quite the swap of assets, including the Chiefs 2021 1st-Round pick. Baltimore spent that draft choice on Odafe Oweh, an EDGE rusher from Penn State.
So, the Vikings still needed a left tackle — or the franchise would either start Rashod Hill or slide Ezra Cleveland back to his LT collegiate spot.
General Manager Rick Spielman did nothing of the sort.
He traded his 14th overall pick to the New York Jets for, what would turn out to be, Christian Darrisaw (LT), Kellen Mond (QB), and Wyatt Davis (OG).
Badda bing — the Vikings have a potential stalwart left tackle for the next decade. And Bleacher Report resoundingly endorsed the selection of Darrisaw. Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report ranked the 25 best offseason moves among all NFL teams this week. The trade of Brown to the Chiefs was the best overall transaction, per Gagnon.
After that, it was Darrisaw to the Vikings, specifically the way that scenario transpired. Gagnon wrote:
“Had the Minnesota Vikings stood pat and selected offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw 14th overall on draft night, that would have been a solid value move to address a critical need. It might have even made this list. But instead, the Vikings traded down nine spots, collected two third-round picks from the New York Jets, and then selected Darrisaw anyway in the No. 23 spot. It was brilliant, and it couldn’t have panned out any better for a team that gets a physical marvel with an extremely high NFL ceiling but also added intriguing quarterback Kellen Mond and potential interior starter Wyatt Davis with the two Day 2 selections it landed from Gang Green. A consensus big board from NFL Mock Draft Database had Darrisaw two spots ahead of Alijah Vera-Tucker, whom the Jets took with Minnesota’s original selection. Watch for the large and athletic Darrisaw to make an immediate impact in Minnesota, and for the Vikings front office to quietly chuckle over the gravy it gets from Mond and/or Davis.“
Darrisaw to the Vikings is considered the 2nd-best move all offseason. His partnership with Minnesota’s usually-maligned offensive trenches should, in theory, end the days of swapping journeymen guards here and there throughout the line. In 2020, the Vikings floundered immensely in starting Dakota Dozier, Dru Samia, and Pat Elflien at the guard spots.
Now, the line is an organic fivesome. Unless the youngsters need time to jell, Christian Darrisaw, Ezra Cleveland, Garrett Bradbury, Wyatt Davis, and Brian O’Neill should start from left to right.
For the first time in recent memory, the Vikings will not enter a season with a vividly weak link on their offensive line. The “wait and see” this year is starting rookies — rather than the blatant employment of reservist linemen that the Vikings hope will “do ok.”