![\"Christian](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2025_0926_NGF_InternationalPractice_0065.jpg\")
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The Minnesota Vikings will gather for mandatory minicamp this week from Tuesday through Thursday. It will be the final time the team gets together before the NFL calendar takes a short breather until late July, for the start of training camp.<\/p>\n
This week\u2019s practices are mandatory, which is a change from voluntary OTAs, which is all they\u2019ve had to this point. While time on the field has been limited and that with pads has been zero, we\u2019ve still learned a few things about this Vikings team the last few weeks.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been difficult to look away<\/a> from the Vikings\u2019 quarterback \u201ccompetition\u201d<\/a> this spring. Kyler Murray vs JJ McCarthy will continue to dominate headlines until Kevin O\u2019Connell officially names his guy, which may<\/a> or may not<\/a> be coming soon. But believe it or not, there are other things happening out at TCO Performance Center.<\/p>\n In fact, we got a new update on Christian Darrisaw over the weekend. The Vikings starting left tackle has been out with injury or limited in about half of Minnesota\u2019s games the past two seasons<\/a>, after suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2024.<\/p>\n Darrisaw wasn\u2019t ready for either of the Vikings\u2019 first two games<\/a>. When he did return, the 2021 first round pick was limited in his capabilities, which made him more of a competent offensive tackle, rather than a dominant one.<\/p>\n Christian Darrisaw looking like old self<\/p>\n However, there are signs this spring that we could see that old Darrisaw back in 2026, and hopefully participating in practice on a regular basis, which was not at all the case in 2025, where Christian probably appeared in more games than he did practices.<\/p>\n On Thursday, Darrisaw told reporters that his knee \u201cfeels great\u201d, even adding that it\u2019s the best he\u2019s felt in two years. Head coach Kevin O\u2019Connell seemed optimistic as well.<\/p>\n Darrisaw: \u201cBest it\u2019s felt in two years. I\u2019m trending in the right direction. Full motion, everything feels great.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Connell: \u201cChristian\u2019s had a great spring. We\u2019re being smart with him, but at the same time we\u2019re making sure that he\u2019s part of this collective O-line group elevation that\u2019s happening. That group has a high standard for themselves.<\/p>\n Christian has a very high standard for himself. That\u2019s one of the reasons why we\u2019re so excited to have him back and feeling healthy and feeling good. Now we just need to continue to progress that way in a way that allows him to feel great starting the season.\u201d<\/p>\n Star Tribune<\/a><\/p>\n Related: KOC Addresses JJ McCarthy\u2019s Comments on Vikings QB Room<\/a><\/p>\n Last season, Christian Darrisaw played in<\/a> 14 of the Minnesota Vikings\u2019 17 games. However, his stats and PFF grades looked just like his play on the field, which wasn\u2019t like the All-Pro caliber offensive tackle he was prior to injury.<\/p>\n The newly-turned 27-year-old<\/a> allowed just 2 sacks and 19 pressures, according to PFF<\/a>. Given he played in just 504 snaps, those stats aren\u2019t that far off his career averages (2023: 6 sacks and 31 pressures allowed in 982 snaps).<\/p>\n However, his tape did not look as good because Darrisaw posted<\/a> just a 65.6 PFF grade, built on a 69.8 run block grade and 71.3 pass block grade. Those were far and away the worst grades of his career. In 2024, before injury, Christian posted an 81.4 PFF grade (82.3 RBLK, 79.9 PBLK).<\/p>\n Darrisaw, MN Vikings o-line practicing with new sense of urgency<\/p>\n The Athletic insider Alec Lewis<\/a> certainly sees a left tackle at TCO Performance Center who resembles the old Christian Darrisaw much more so than the Darrisaw Lite we got last year.<\/p>\n Then again, Lewis has noticed something very different, in general, about the Minnesota Vikings\u2019 offensive line \u2014 which he says \u201cthere\u2019s no question in his mind at all whatsoever\u201d is practicing with a different kind of intensity and sense of urgency this spring.<\/p>\n “There’s no question in my mind like at all whatsoever that the offensive line is practicing with a sense of urgency and kind of a direction that, um, just is different.” \u2013 @alec_lewis<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/WEJvAtMoWO<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/CZv0YNm6py<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) June 8, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cChristian Darrisaw was present and he was really active, looked good, looked like he was really engaged. And I said this after the first OTAs, but there\u2019s no question in my mind like at all whatsoever that the offensive line is practicing with a sense of urgency and kind of a direction that um just is different.<\/p>\n Now again, as I said on the last, you know, time I talked about this, we will see whether or not that makes an impact come the fall. Um, but I would be inclined to think that physicality, you know, does translate.\u201d<\/p>\n Alec Lewis \u2013 The Alec Lewis Show<\/a><\/p>\n Revealed: Why JJ McCarthy Left Vikings Practice in Haste<\/a><\/p>\n The Minnesota Vikings swapped out offensive line coaches for 2026, firing<\/a> former OL coach Chris Kuper<\/a> and elevating<\/a> assistant Keith Carter<\/a> in his place. While you don\u2019t want to glean too much from OTA practices, this little nugget from Lewis stood out to me.<\/p>\n Alec\u2019s been around the team for the past few seasons, so if he is noticing a different edge in the trenches, then it must be pretty significant, especially when there aren\u2019t any pads on.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Christian Darrisaw<\/a> Injury Updates<\/a> Offensive Line<\/a> <\/p>\n More About:Minnesota Vikings<\/a><\/p>\n Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google. \t\t\t![\"Christian](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2025_0921_Vikings_Bengals_REG03_0330.jpg\")
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings<\/p>\n![\"Add](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/google_preferred_source_badge.png\"){kind=icon}
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