Christian Darrisaw … Already?!
The NFL regular season is now 18 weeks long. NFL teams play 17-game schedules. The grind of a full year is as difficult as ever. It’s even harder when a team loses an integral part early in the calendar.
Christian Darrisaw is already back on the field for the Minnesota Vikings, and his recovery timeline looks mighty quick.
That happened to the Minnesota Vikings last year when starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw suffered a torn ACL during Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams. It was a game that Minnesota went on to lose, but matters were made worse when one of the game’s best bookends was deemed done for the year.
Knee injuries don’t have the same timelines they did even a decade ago, but with the size of a lineman, it’s notable when a guy heals quickly. Christian Darrisaw isn’t headed to the backfield and looking to rip off runs like Adrian Peterson was. He still has to fend off speedy pass rushers, though, and footwork is largely the name of the game.
That’s what makes it all the more shocking that the Vikings’ left tackle was seen participating during portions of practice on June 10. Of course, that doesn’t mean he’ll be an immediate option for the starting lineup during Week 1. Darrisaw still has a long way to go when it comes to being a full participant throughout a complete practice. This sign is a good one, though.
Last season, the Vikings were forced to trade for line help after Darrisaw went down. Blake Brandel had already kicked inside to a guard spot. Cam Robinson was acquired and helped to solidify one of the most important roles in the sport. He was a free agent and got paid by the Texans. Minnesota allowed that to happen because they believed in the return of their star.
Kevin O’Connell has to be ecstatic about the premise of his young quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, having both top-tier bookends available to start the season. Darrisaw’s injury provided no guarantees that it would be a possibility. While there are still hurdles to clear, participation before training camp is about as good as it gets.
If the Vikings get the best version of Darrisaw back in the lineup, then McCarthy should feel good about having arguably the best offensive line Minnesota has seen in years.
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Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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