The Minnesota Vikings are in the midst of two massive offensive shifts, as they transition to Kyler Murray as the starting quarterback and head coach Kevin O’Connell completely reimagines the run game — and key to both of those changes coming off smoothly is a healthy and effective offensive line.
Left tackle Christian Darrisaw has battled injury in each of the past two seasons, playing in just 17 of a possible 34 games. And while he is ostensibly healthy for the first time in three years, he dealt with some trouble during Minnesota’s joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, August 20.
“Trey Hendrickson has had at [least] 2-3 sacks today,” Brian Wacker of the Baltimore Sun reported on X. “And Vikings Christian Darrisaw is one of the league’s best tackles.”
Christian Darrisaw Looking to Come Back From 2 Injury-Riddled Seasons
GettyMinnesota Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw is looking to stay healthy for the first time in three seasons.
Darrisaw certainly has been among the better players at his position when healthy across his five-year NFL career, and Hendrickson had back-to-back seasons of 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024 before injury derailed his most recent season. So one player getting the better of the other in a single practice isn’t the end of the world.
That said, it’s fair to wonder if Darrisaw isn’t all the way back to 100 percent after battling lingering knee issues in his attempt at a comeback in 2025, or if his health issues are still impacting him in late August.
“We’re being smart with him, but at the same time, we’re making sure he’s part of this collective O-line group elevation that’s happening,” O’Connell told reporters in June. “That group has a high standard for themselves. Christian has a very high standard for himself, and that’s one of the reasons we’re so excited to have him back and feeling healthy and feeling good.”
Vikings Have Invested Heavily in Longterm Offensive Line Pieces
GettyOffensive tackles Brian O’Neill #75 and Christian Darrisaw #71 of the Minnesota Vikings walk together on the practice field.
For better or worse Darrisaw, now 27, is going to be the Vikings’ starting left tackle for the foreseeable future.
The 2026 campaign will be the first for Darrisaw on a four-year contract worth $104 million. Minnesota also extended tackle Brian O’Neill on a four-year deal worth $96 million in late July that keeps him with the team through 2030.
After signing guard Will Fries through 2030 and drafting guard Donovan Jackson in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, the Vikings are all but set on the offensive line through the end of the decade.
However, the same group of four struggled to stay healthy and on the field together last season, which contributed to a 9-8 campaign and a failure to make the playoffs. Major changes have come since, with Murray replacing JJ McCarthy as the starting quarterback and team ownership firing former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah during the offseason after four years on the job.
O’Connell could face the hot seat himself if the offense struggles again this season, so offensive line health and production will be at an even bigger premium in Minnesota in 2026.
Christian Darrisaw Suffers Troubling Struggles in Vikings-Ravens Joint Practice