The Minnesota Vikings faced a big challenge when left tackle Christian Darrisaw tore ligaments in his left knee, which will keep him out for the rest of the season.
However, they didn’t waste any time looking for a replacement.
The Vikings got back to work on the field on Wednesday after general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded for veteran Cam Robinson from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a future third-day draft pick. This move shows their commitment to not letting a 5-0 start slip away, even with two recent losses and a major injury.
“When you lose a player like Christian Darrisaw it’s so catastrophic because he means so much to your team and your offense, but also just from a standpoint of losing such a veteran presence that we rely so much on,” coach Kevin O’Connell said.
“So to find a player of Cam’s caliber in-season like Kwesi was able to do, very much looking forward to having him here.”
On Wednesday, Robinson was busy taking a physical exam and getting used to his new team, which left him with little time to learn the playbook and meet his teammates before Sunday night’s game against Indianapolis.
O’Connell made it clear that he hopes Robinson can jump right into the lineup against the Colts, a team he just faced a month ago with the Jaguars, or at least get some playing time if he doesn’t start.
“There might be some nuances to the run game or play-action protections here and there, but the tackle spot is one where on those weighty downs and drop-back passes and those things, you’re blocking the defensive end,” O’Connell said. “Whether we say peaches or whatever it is, it really doesn’t matter.”
When healthy, Robinson has consistently been recognized as an above-average tackle since the Jaguars picked him 34th overall out of Alabama in 2017.
He would provide a skill upgrade over dependable veteran David Quessenberry, who filled in for Darrisaw during the second half of Minnesota’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams last week.
Another possible option would be to move left guard Blake Brandel to Darrisaw’s position. Brandel started three games in 2022 while Darrisaw was in the concussion protocol. Meanwhile, Dalton Risner is close to making his season debut after injuring his back in training camp.
Risner was the starting left guard last year. O’Connell playfully avoided saying whether Brandel would remain at guard or move to tackle.
Darrisaw, who was drafted 23rd overall out of Virginia Tech in 2021, has become one of the best blockers protecting the quarterback’s blind side.
“He just came in with a different attitude this year, and you saw it on the field: He was dominating guys,” center Garrett Bradbury said. “We didn’t blink about the left side. We could do whatever we needed to do over there, and we knew that was strapped down.
That’s a testament to the player that he is, the work that he put in in the offseason, and the mentality that he approached with this year. I know he’ll take the same approach to this rehab and he’ll be back better than ever.”
