Vikings Provide Update on Christian Darrisaw’s ACL Recovery
Minnesota Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw’s ACL recovery never unfolded cleanly in 2025, and according to head coach Kevin O’Connell, the 2026 offseason is trending much better.
O’Connell sounded upbeat, and Minnesota still has reason to plan carefully in late April.
All eyes have turned to Darrisaw’s recovery because if he encountered another roadbump, it would signal a grim outcome for the long haul.
Darrisaw Update Puts Vikings Plans into Focus
LT1 sounds like he’s in a good spot.
O’Connell on Darrisaw
O’Connell was asked about Darrisaw’s ACL at the NFL’s league meetings last week, and he replied, “I do believe we’re at that point now. He’s having a really good offseason. And what that looks like, what his daily practice schedule and plan looks like, we’re going to do what we think is best to get Christian ready to play 17 games and feel at his absolute best to do so.”
“I was proud of the way Christian battled through the offseason and the recovery portion, but then it was frustrating for him at times because he did put in all that work, all that tireless work, that in his mind, ‘Hey, I want to move past this,’ But with an injury like that, sometimes time is truly the only thing that will ultimately get us to where we want to get to.”
The Vikings signed a backup offensive tackle last month from the Buffalo Bills, Ryan Van Demark.
O’Connell added, “He’s so impactful. That is one position where I don’t think we put enough credence and weight into the impact of winning and losing every snap, every down in the NFL at that left tackle position.”
Our Janik Eckardt noted on Van Demark, the newcomer, last week: “In case of continued health struggles, the Vikings signed backup Ryan Van Demark from the Buffalo Bills. Last year, Skule signed a one-year, $2 million deal, and Van Demark was acquired for one season and $4.27 million. Given the contract value, Van Demark should be expected to be an upgrade.”
“The Vikings realized that they can’t afford to save money at that position, which makes sense given O’Connell’s comments about the left tackle’s importance. It remains to be seen if Darrisaw is fully ‘back’ or if we’re in store for another 2025. We’ll monitor his reps throughout the spring and summer.”
The 2025 Outcome
Darrisaw lasted 10 games in 2025 after tearing his ACL in late October of 2024. During the build-up to last season, there wasn’t too much prominent paranoia that his recovery would bend poorly, but when the regular season arrived, the Vikings seemed to have Darrisaw on a willy-nilly pitch count. Sometimes he would play; in some games, the club would pull him in the 4th Quarter with the game on the line.
Minnesota shut him down, along with others like Jonathan Greenard, when playoff contention died, and all told, Darrisiaw missed 41% of games.
He’s the NFL’s fourth-highest-paid left tackle, so missing any time or battling a mysterious ACL recovery is overly noteworthy.
The Money
Speaking of money, the Vikings extended Darrisaw in June of 2024, agreeing to a deal worth $113 million over four seasons, including $77 million guaranteed. They locked in the contract about one year early, capitalizing on a smaller market because the NFL’s salary cap resets annually, and the new biggest earner is usually the “highest paid x-position in NFL history.”
It’s also worth noting that Darrisaw’s huge annual cap numbers haven’t kicked in yet: $27.9 million in 2027, $34.1 million in 2028, and $31.5 million in 2029. His deal, like many of its kind, featured an affordable cap number at the beginning of the extension, so it’s important for Darrisaw to heal this offseason properly and be “worth it” for the long haul.
Draft Clues?
Thankfully, the Vikings have an NFL draft in about two weeks, and that would be the place for Darrisaw-themed clues, if applicable.
Minnesota has nine picks this go-round, with four in the Top 100. No one expects interim general manager Rob Brzezinski to draft an offensive tackle early — the Vikings have Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, after all — but if he selected a tackle in the Top 100 it would spell more anxiety about Darrisaw’s long-term prognosis. Brzezinski basically has a chance to put his money where his mouth is: if no OTs are selected early, the Vikings believe Darrisaw’s ACL recovery is in a good place. The alternative would feel more foreboding.
Overall, the Vikings are expected to target a defensive tackle, safety, or cornerback in Round 1, according to sportsbooks.
Darrisaw will turn 27 in June and was born two weeks before Justin Jefferson.
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