Vikings fans can breathe a sigh of relief when it comes to the offensive line
It’s a huge win for the Minnesota Vikings, who had a bevy of brutal offensive line issues during the 2025 season.
The biggest issue going into the 2026 season for many with the Minnesota Vikings wasn’t the quarterback position, but rather the offensive line.
The Vikings had 5,009 snaps last year on the offensive line, and 1,658 (33.1%) of them were taken by backups. That isn’t a winning recipe in the slightest. The one good thing about the backups playing significantly was Blake Brandel turning into the potential center of the future.
Christian Darrisaw Facts
- The Minnesota Vikings traded down nine spots from No. 14 to No. 23 and selected Darrisaw in the 2021 NFL Draft.
- After having a follow-up hernia surgery, Darrisaw played the final 12 games of his rookie year.
- While he’s been one of the better left tackles in the NFL, Darrisaw has yet to play a full season due to injuries.
Christian Darrisaw appears to be fully healthy
The good news for the offensive line is that they are getting healthy. The key piece to the line is left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who has been seen at OTAs without a knee brace. He appears to be back to his normal self.
“Best it’s felt in two years,” Darrisaw told the Minnesota Star Tribune on Thursday. “I’m trending in the right direction. Full motion, everything feels great.”
That’s a massive deal for the Vikings. While Justin Skule played admirably in relief of Darrisaw, he was a massive liability far too often. Health is such an important element for the offensive line, and having one missing piece could be brutal.
Darrisaw’s health is going to be a massive factor in the success of the 2026 Vikings, and it’s a big deal that he’s feeling healthy. Keeping Kyler Murray upright and allowing him to operate in the pocket, even though he’s very mobile, will be huge in maximizing the success of the offense.