Vikings star Christian Darrisaw back at practice 7.5 months after injury

It was a Thursday night game in Los Angeles on October 24 when Darrisaw got rolled up on just before halftime. After some testing the next day, it was confirmed that he would need season-ending surgery on his knee. He had torn both his ACL and his MCL. Darrisaw underwent successful surgery in early November, beginning his rehab process with the goal of being ready to go for Week 1 in 2025.

Everything we've heard during the course of Darrisaw's recovery has been positive. Back in February, Kevin O'Connell said he was doing "really well" and "absolutely killing it every step of the way" in the rehab process. It was a similar update in April, with O'Connell saying Darrisaw had "knocked it out of the park" and had progressed to lifting and running.

Darrisaw participating in minicamp doesn't mean he's going to be cleared and ready to play in Chicago for the season opener on Monday Night Football. But at the same time, this can only be a good sign. He still has three months to continue progressing and have a chance to be ready for that game. It'll be interesting to see what he's able to do when the pads come on and the team starts practicing at close to full speed during training camp, which begins in late July.

Teammate Will Fries, the Vikings' new starting right guard, suffered a tibial fracture a few weeks before Darrisaw and has not yet returned to practice in any capacity.

The 23rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Darrisaw — who turned 26 this month — has proven to be one of the better left tackles in football when he's been on the field. He hasn't made a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, but the tape doesn't lie; he's a dominant force in both pass protection and run blocking. Last offseason, he signed a four-year contract extension worth up to $113 million.

The Vikings signed veteran Justin Skule this spring to be their swing tackle. He's worked with the first-team offensive line in offseason practices and would be in line to start if Darrisaw isn't quite ready to go when the regular season begins.

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