An anchor on the Minnesota Vikings offensive line, left tackle Christian Darrisaw did not look like a player whose injury concerns were in the rearview.
Despite reports of Darrisaw appearing ahead of schedule from his rehab from an ACL and MCL tear in October 2024, he did not return until Week 3 — almost a year past his initial injury.
But even after he was activated, Darrisaw dealt with lingering knee issues, ultimately only playing 50.3% of offensive snaps this season.
He exited several games and missed matchups against the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys late in the season before he was placed on injured reserve.
While general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah sounded optimistic about Darrisaw’s outlook going forward, he did leave an impression that the Vikings may search for better help at left tackle — a statement that piqued Minnesota Star Tribune beat reporter Ben Goessling’s interest.
Vikings GM’s Christian Darrisaw Comments Raise Eyebrows
In his end-of-season news conference, Adofo-Mensah addressed Darrisaw’s injury and where the offensive line stands after they gave up 60 sacks this season.
“He’s a year removed from that injury,” Adofo-Mensah said. “So time is on our side in terms of kind of getting away from that injury point; another year of rehab strengthening and different things like that.
“But obviously at all parts of our team, we’ve seen how important he has been to our play. And so when we’re addressing things in the draft or free agency, we have to be mindful of that. I don’t want to say ‘insurance,’ but we’re always trying to have a roster of aspiration as a GM, when that first guy goes out, that next guy comes in and is as good as the guy. Is that reality? No, but that’s the mindset we got to take, and that’s a position we probably got to be more mindful of that.”
Goessling found Adofo-Mensah’s comment noteworthy, especially after injuries forced the Vikings to deploy 20 different line combinations to no avail.
“The GM’s comments caught my attention,” Goessling wrote in his newsletter. “The Vikings signed Justin Skule as a veteran option at left tackle, and Skule actually played more than Darrisaw did in 2025. But the 29-year-old Skule will be a free agent in March, and Adofo-Mensah’s comments suggested the Vikings might want an upgrade behind Darrisaw next season. They have valued swing tackles, and they have Blake Brandel under contract for 2026, though their salary-cap straits might make it difficult for them to add a more significant piece.
“Adofo-Mensah acknowledged the idea of having starting-caliber backups on the offensive line is a bit farfetched, and it might take a stroke of luck for the Vikings to find such a player in 2026. They’d be at their best, though, if O’Connell’s hope of Darrisaw returning to his usual self is true next season. For their offense to regain its typical form, few players are more important.”
Vikings’ Offensive Line Overhaul Fails Dramatically in 2025
After watching Sam Darnold run for his life in a playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Vikings decided to invest heavily into the offensive line, landing three new starters in Will Fries, Ryan Kelly and first-round rookie Donovan Jackson.
However, the starting unit played only 84 snaps together this season, and the depth did not relieve any pressure off the quarterback.
According to The 33rd Team, the Vikings ranked 31st in pass protection for the 2025 season, a figure the team must improve next year, no matter who is under center.
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