Latest news with #Darrisaw
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vikings Make Announcement About Key Player Return After Long Injury Absence
Vikings Make Announcement About Key Player Return After Long Injury Absence originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Minnesota Vikings lost a key piece of their offense in Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw, the team's first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, had only missed a handful of games in his young career up until that point. Advertisement Unfortunately, during the Vikings' 30-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8, Darrisaw suffered a serious knee injury, tearing his ACL and MCL, which would sideline him for the remainder of the season. However, the Vikings received a huge update concerning their starting offensive tackle as a post to social media showed Darrisaw back at practice and participating in individual drills. At the time of the Virginia Tech alumnus' placement onto injured reserve, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell noted that "he's clearly one of our offensive pillars that we have leaned on a lot, and it's going to be a significant loss. But we've all got to do a little bit more." Advertisement Over his first three seasons in the NFL, Darrisaw played in 41 games, but his injury-shortened 2024 only allowed him to play in seven contests. In that limited timeframe, Darrisaw graded 81.4 on Pro Football Focus, ranking 11th out of 140 tackles. Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O' Hanisch-Imagn Images In July 2024, Darrisaw signed a massive contract extension, linking him to the Vikings through the 2029 season. The deal added four years at $104 million to his existing contract. Based on annual average salary, the 26-year-old is the fourth-highest-paid tackle. Minnesota is in the first day of mandatory minicamp and will extend to June 12. From June 16 to 18, the Vikings will reconvene for voluntary organized team activities. Advertisement Related: J.J. McCarthy Makes Opinion Clear on Entering Second Season With Vikings Related: Matt LaFleur Responds to Vikings Player's 'Be a Man' Comments This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Vikings agree to 3-year contract with TE Josh Oliver, ease LT Christian Darrisaw back into practice
Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms with tight end Josh Oliver on a three-year contract extension worth more than $23 million on Tuesday, enhancing their commitment to a key part of their running game. Oliver's deal, which was done right before the team took the field for the beginning of the three-day mandatory minicamp, has a maximum value of $27.5 million that includes $19.9 million in guaranteed money. Oliver had career highs last season with 258 receiving yards and three touchdowns while expanding his involvement in the passing attack along with his primary role as a run blocker. With fellow tight end T.J. Hockenson a significant down-field complement to wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, Oliver has benefited by frequently finding himself open on the limited occasions he's running a route. 'We've got weapons everywhere,' Oliver said after practice. Pro Football Focus analysts gave Oliver the best run-blocking grade among all NFL tight ends who played at least half of the blocking snaps in 2024. He also got the ninth-highest overall grade in the league at his position, after he was ranked fourth by PFF in 2023. With tackles Brian O'Neill and Christian Darrisaw bookending the line, Oliver has plenty of help when he's in to block. Darrisaw, whose 2024 season ended when he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee during a game on Oct. 25, returned to individual practice drills on the field with the team on Tuesday in a significant milestone along the way of his recovery. Darrisaw's readiness for the season opener on Sept. 8 remains in question, but he's trending toward resuming his familiar place on the left side of the line early this fall. The 28-year-old Oliver has begun his third season with Minnesota after signing as a free agent in 2023 on a three-year, $21 million contract after two seasons with Baltimore. The 6-foot-5, 259-pound Oliver, who was a third-round draft pick by Jacksonville in 2019 out of San Jose State, was targeted by coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to help aid a running game that has lagged behind their passing attack since their arrival in 2022. The Vikings ranked tied for 19th in the league in 2024 in rushing yards per game, up from 29th in 2023. 'The culture KO and Kwesi have built here, the players in the locker room, man, you love coming to work every day,' Oliver said. 'It's a top-class organization, and I'm just super happy about it.' ___ AP NFL: recommended
CBS News
25-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Who did the Minnesota Vikings draft in 1st round? Meet OG Donovan Jackson.
The Minnesota Vikings completed their offseason mission of completely overhauling the interior offensive line by taking guard Donovan Jackson in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday night. While many fans crossed their fingers for a trade down to acquire more picks or a defensive back to shore up the secondary, the Vikings used the 24th pick to give presumed starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy some more protection. So, who is Jackson? Everything you need to know about the Vikings' first-round pick is below. How old is Jackson? Jackson is 22 years old. He'll turn 23 during the upcoming NFL season. How big is Jackson? The NFL's scouting profile lists Jackson as 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 315 pounds, with 33.5-inch arms. The profile notes he has prototypical size for a guard, with a "thick chest, broad hips, long arms and big hands." Where did Jackson play in college? Jackson played four years at Ohio State University. He became the starting left guard in his sophomore season, stayed there his junior year and began his senior season there before another player's injury necessitated a move to left tackle. With the Buckeyes, Jackson was thrice a first-team All-Big Ten player and a first-team All-American in his senior season. He wrapped up his college career by winning a National Championship. What position does Jackson play? Jackson will likely slot in at left guard for the Vikings — it's where he played most of his college snaps and the weakest spot on Minnesota's line. With starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw recovering from a knee injury, Jackson could be a spot starter there until Darrisaw's ready. But the Vikings could also opt to keep Jackson at his natural position and use a swing tackle like Justin Skule in Darrisaw's stead. Blake Brandel started for the Vikings at left guard last season and was solid but unspectacular. He'll likely move back to a backup role, and like Skule, has swing potential. What have the Vikings said about Jackson? Head coach Kevin O'Connell said Jackson impressed him throughout the predraft process, especially when the two watched game film together on a visit to Minnesota. "Just love everything about his play style, his size. He's got length, he's got power," O'Connell said. "And then the little things that sometimes jump out at you about a player. Willingness to just jump over to the left tackle spot and the very next week he's blocking the third pick in tonight's draft [Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter] and competing his tail off. And didn't necessarily need to do that in a year where he was going to be drafted and evaluated the way he was. So a lot of things that we're very excited about." General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah also praised Jackson's move to the outside for showing his unselfishness and versatility. "You're talking about an incredibly poised, talented athlete in pass protection," Adofo-Mensah said. "Really strong player, can anchor, rooted in the ground, moves people in the run game, sustains throughout the down. Incredibly intelligent player." What has Jackson said about the Vikings? Jackson said he's excited to get to Minnesota and start working. "I'm excited for this offense and this organization because just how explosive and how dynamic it really is," Jackson said. "And just excited to get to work and learn from these guys in the o-line room currently who have been in the game for so long and have done it the right way and just trying to learn and grow from it." And Vikings fans can rest easy knowing he has no qualms about blocking for McCarthy, his former rival at Michigan. "I met with him briefly on my 30 visit and he kind of mentioned it a little bit, but he said we're going to leave that in college," Jackson said, "so we're going to leave that in college."
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 NFL Free Agency: Projected value of Cam Robinson's next contract
The Minnesota Vikings have many difficult questions to answer this offseason before they prepare for the 2025 season. One that no one wants to think about is, 'Will Cam Robinson be back in Minnesota for 2025?' Robinson was put in a tough spot during the 2024 season. He started the season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team he had spent his entire career with up to this point. Through some poor play, injuries, and other extenuating circumstances, Robinson had fallen out of favor with the Jaguars' decision-makers, and found himself benched. After that, it had become clear his time in Jacksonville would be coming to an end sooner rather than later. Luckily for Robinson, the Vikings had a need for someone at the position after starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw blew out his knee and was lost for the season. Minnesota got on the phone with Jacksonville, and Robinson was traded just days after his benching. Robinson filled in admirably for Darrisaw during his time with the Vikings. He wasn't spectacular, and he sure wasn't up to the caliber that Darrisaw had set for the Vikings, but he was solid. There were a lot of issues with the Vikings offensive line in 2024, but tackle play generally wasn't one of them. Unfortunately for Robinson, he finds himself outside looking in with the Vikings. Robinson is schedule to hit free agency, and with Darrisaw ostensibly coming back next season and right tackle Brian O'Neill being named to the Pro Bowl, it's hard to imagine Robinson back in Purple and Gold. The team at Spotrac projects Robinson to sign a three-year deal for an average of $14 million per year. That would be a slight downgrade from the $17 million per year that Robinson played under during his last contract, but would still put him in the top half of starting left tackles in the league. It's hard to imagine the Vikings — even with their significant amount of cap space heading into free agency — being willing to pay that much for a player who will likely be relegated to the bench when Darrisaw returns. However, it's not completely out of the question. Robinson was solid, if not spectacular, as a fill-in for Darrisaw. If Darrisaw suffers a setback in his rehab and isn't ready to go at the start of the season, there may be a scenario in which Robinson comes back to the Vikings. That money may be hard to swallow for Vikings' brass, but they may not have many better options.
