Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell talks LT Christian Darriasaw continuing to be in a state of uncertainty ‘We’ve got a plan in place’
It’s starting to get frustrating that Christian Darrisaw is missing games.
The Minnesota Vikings are in a state of uncertainty when it comes to left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
After tearing his ACL during the Week 8 game against the Los Angeles Rams and has yet to return. We are approaching nearly 11 months since his surgery, and patience is starting to wear thin with the fanbase.
Going into Sunday’s Week 3 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Darrisaw practiced in full on both Wednesday and Friday with a planned rest day on Thursday, and is listed as questionable.
Christian Darrisaw is questionable for Week 3 vs. Bengals
After practice on Friday afternoon, Darrisaw spoke to reporters with a sense of ambiguity about his status.
“I’ve just got to trust my body, really be smart with it,” said Darrisaw. “It’s early in the year. When I’m ready, I’ll know I’m ready and I’ll be back out there.
“If I was ready, I’d be out there playing on Sundays. We’ll see how I feel tomorrow and then when Sunday comes, we’ll collectively as a group make that decision. We’re getting close”
Darrisaw mentioning that he needs to trust his body resonates in a major way. Knee injuries aren’t just about getting your body right; your mind has to pair with it. A lot of that recovery is mental, as you need to trust that your reconstructed knee can do everything you need it to.
The mental aspect can be a major roadblock to getting back onto the field. It’s something that everyone has to deal with, and it sounds like Darrisaw is still getting to that point.
“We’ve got a plan in place,” said head coach Kevin O’Connell. “You know, ultimately that will allow us to feel like we can have the best group of guys out there for those particular set of circumstances we’re still working through. After getting a ton of really good reps, we’re going to kind of slot that thing together, make sure we’ve got a plan for what game day looks like. Then we’ll go from there.
“I know he was really encouraged by his work workload this week and everything, as far as full [participation] and then giving him an opportunity to take a full day and then recover and be a part of, you know, the mental preparation and then come back today and have a full day was really encouraging for me.”
If Darrisaw can’t play, the Vikings will have a new left tackle starting on Sunday, as Justin Skule was ruled out with a concussion. It will likely be Walter Rouse starting, but there is an outside chance they kick Blake Brandel back out to tackle since he started multiple games in 2022 and 2023 at the position. It’s highly unlikely they would kick Donovan Jackson out to left tackle as a rookie, but he was excellent in an emergency situation for the second half of 2024 at Ohio State.
Needless to say, if Darrisaw does play, it will be a massive win for the Vikings’ offense.
Minnesota Vikings News
One key Christian Darrisaw stat proves how important he is to Kevin O’Connell’s offense succeeding
One player could make all the difference in fixing Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
Minnesota Vikings News
Minnesota Vikings vs. Cincinnati Bengals Preview: How Brian Flores attacks Jake Browning among biggest questions for Week 3
The Vikings have a fascinating opponent in Week 3 with the Bengals.
