The Minnesota Vikings and their fans were crushed in the middle of the 2024 season when Christian Darrisaw went down with a serious knee injury in a game against the Los Angeles Rams. Darrisaw has been on the road back for a while now, and Vikings fans were not sure when he might return, but knew it would be at some point in the 2025 season.
Everything has appeared to go to plan for the Minnesota offensive lineman in his healing process, and he might even be recovering quicker than anyone expected. During a discussion with Paul Allen on KFXN-FM radio earlier this week, the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling shared a great update on the Week 1 status of Darrisaw.
“I think Darasaw, the way he has come along and the way I’ve heard people talk about him, I would bet he plays in the opener. I think I’ve heard enough to be optimistic about where that goes.”
The Vikings open the 2025 season against the Chicago Bears in a Monday night showdown. If Minnesota can have Darrisaw back for that game, it will provide a great boost for quarterback J.J. McCarthy and the rest of the offense.
Christian Darrisaw is a franchise left tackle, and Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy needs him as soon as possible
McCarthy has not experienced any regular-season game action in his Vikings career yet, but that will come in Chicago. Having the team’s franchise left tackle out there to protect him and pancake guys that come his way will only make that debut easier for Minnesota’s young quarterback.
Darrisaw is a versatile offensive tackle who can help his team’s running backs get to the second level and put opposing defenders on the ground.
Ideally, the Vikings and McCarthy don’t want to begin the season with a fill-in at left tackle in Chicago. If everything continues to go to plan with Darrisaw, though, it seems like Minnesota’s new starting signal-caller will have his left tackle back and ready to protect him when they take on the Bears in Week 1.