Offensive tackle is one of the most important positions in football. Great pass rushers who can wreck games against sub-par tackles drive many of the best defenses (see Super Bowl 55). The Minnesota Vikings have had plenty of roster holes to work around over the past few seasons. However, since Christian Darrisaw arrived in 2021, offensive tackle has not been one of them. Darrisaw pairs with Brian O’Neill to form one of the best duos in the league.
Darrisaw was the gem of Rick Spielman’s final draft class with the team. Over his career, he has only allowed a 4.5% pressure rate while often drawing the most difficult schematic assignment. Whether you’re going off of PFF grades or the eye test, Darrisaw is comfortably one of the five best left tackles in football. At times, he looks like the best in the business. A cornerstone piece of the roster, he has been instrumental to much of Minnesota’s offensive success to this point in the season.
However, following his injury on Thursday night, the Vikings will be without him for the remainder of the season. Losing a starter is always difficult, but losing one of Darrisaw’s caliber ensures a significant talent drop-off at that position.
If the Vikings don’t make a significant move, they will likely start David Quessenberry at left tackle.
“I’m preparing like I’m going to start every game,” said Quessenbery.
However, there is no clarity yet on how the team will replace Darrisaw.
Other options include kicking left guard Blake Brandel out to tackle, where he spent some time earlier in his career, and inserting Dalton Risner at left guard. They could also play Risner at left tackle, where he has some college experience.
“Whatever is asked of me,” said Brandel when asked if the Vikings may move him to starting left tackle. “I’ll do.”
Regardless of their direction, no one will have the impact of a healthy Darrisaw.
“He’s clearly one of our offensive pillars that we have leaned on a lot,” Kevin O’Connell said of the 25-year-old.
When Darrisaw is active, he not only holds down his position but also gives the rest of the offensive line additional resources. The Vikings can leave a shutdown tackle like Darrisaw on an island and slide away from him to allow double teams or chip help elsewhere along the front.
“We will all have to do a little bit more,” O’Connell said regarding Darrisaw’s absence.
Darrisaw accomplishes incredible physical feats every game. However, often his contributions go unnoticed, particularly from the standard broadcast angles. Focusing on his reps on the all-22 is absolute cinema. Darrisaw’s unbelievable core strength allows him to win the rep even when his matchup can create an advantage. Watching his “snatch” technique is like if the matador was just another bull with a red flag.
The Vikings will also miss him in the run game. Darrisaw finishes blocks relentlessly and is elite at the point of attack. He has the athleticism and football guile to pull into space to track down and neutralize would-be tacklers. This season especially, the double teams he’s combined with Brandel in the run game have been artful.
Quessenbery can be solid as a run blocker, and we’ve seen some of that this season. Still, what Darrisaw does as a pass blocker from an athletic standpoint simply cannot be taught.
In addition to his physical acumen, his fellow O-linemen spoke glowingly of how Darrisaw approaches the game and prepares.
“He’s able to understand it at a high level,” said right guard Ed Ingram of Darrisaw’s ability to dissect the film of his opponent. “His level of awareness is off the charts.”
“He focuses on the little things, one day at a time,” said Brandel when asked what he’d learned from Darrisaw. “His approach, his preparation, I’ve taken a lot away from that.”
Multiple offensive linemen who know the type of person Darrisaw is stressed their certainty that “CD” will come back from this injury even stronger.
In the meantime, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, head coach Kevin O’Connell, and the rest of the offensive staff will need to find a way to shore up Sam Darnold’s blind side in Darrisaw’s absence. Whether that is chip help from a tight end or a running back on that side or more six- and seven-man protections, something will need to change. The offense will be forced to lean more on O’Neill to hold up one-on-one in pass protection to keep Ingram and Garrett Bradbury insulated against strong interior rushers.
Perhaps this will force O’Connell’s hand into more quick-hitting route concepts to get the ball out faster. While the O-line has given up a fair amount of pressure, the Vikings have taken advantage of having two book-end tackles by calling an exorbitant amount of long-developing passing concepts. O’Connell will need to pick his spots with the deep shots going forward, and whoever they give the reigns to at left tackle will have some big shoes to fill.