No one would have faulted Christian Darrisaw for missing the Minnesota Vikings‘ mandatory minicamp. Darrisaw suffered season-ending ACL and MCL tears in the team’s Oct. 24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Yet he was on the practice field Tuesday, taking part in drills, wearing a massive knee brace on his left knee.
It’s remarkable to see any player practicing that soon after a significant knee injury. What makes it even more incredible is that Darrisaw stands 6-foot-5, 315 pounds. That’s a lot of mass for a knee to support.
That doesn’t mean that Darrisaw will be ready to go when the season begins. Pads and hitting aren’t permitted this time of year, which is more essential to linemen than any other position. So Darrisaw may not be cleared for contact even when training camp begins next month.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good sign to see him back on the field. Darrisaw was having another outstanding season in 2024, posting an 81.4 PFF grade before getting injured.
The Vikings signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tackle Justin Skule in March, who has started 17 games since being drafted in 2019. Skule could start if needed, but he would be a significant downgrade from Darrisaw.
No one will benefit more from Darrisaw being on the field than J.J. McCarthy, who is set to make his NFL debut on Sept. 8. He may not have Darrisaw that night, but it looks as if the left tackle could be returning to the starting lineup sooner than anticipated.