Christian Darrisaw Does Not Sound Ready

Minnesota Vikings fans woke up on Friday morning hoping for good news on the injury front this afternoon, when the team’s final official injury report of week 3 was due to drop. The Vikings have multiple starters who may or may not play on Sunday, but there is one name we’ve been focused on most.

Christian Darrisaw has been out since week 8 of 2024. He is not beyond his timeline for a normal return, either, given his major knee surgery took place less than one year ago.

But after months of positive reports and all sorts of chatter that Minnesota’s 2021 1st round pick was ahead of his recovery schedule, it’s been a bit surprising to see him inactive for the first two weeks of the season.

On Friday, Darrisaw was unsurprisingly listed as “questionable,” an official pregame status that which will allow him to workout on the U.S. Bank Stadium turf Sunday morning, before he and the Vikings make a final ruling on whether or not he will play this weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Christian Darrisaw does not sound confident that he’ll play vs Bengals

Throughout the week, there has been some positive momentum toward the 26-year-old making his 2025 debut. That was until after practice on Friday, when Christian Darrisaw met with media, where he did not sound confident at all that he will be a go for Sunday.

The All-Pro caliber offensive lineman told reporters that he is 50/50 to play vs Cinci, and he made it very clear that he does not want to step onto the field until he’s “ready”.

Christian Darrisaw called it “50-50” if he’ll play Sunday. “I want to be out there, but I know I got to be smart on my way back out there,” he said. “Just really work my way back out there when I'm ready.”

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) September 19, 2025

Vikings LT Christian Darrisaw talked today in the locker room:

"I'm just got to trust my body. Really be smart with it. It's early in the year. When I'm ready, I know I'll be ready. I'll be back out there like myself."

He added: "We're getting close."

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) September 19, 2025

Nobody wants Christian Darrisaw to take the field before he is ready, but if he does not play on Sunday, then the Minnesota Vikings will turn to their third option at left tackle. Their options would be 3rd stringer, Walter Rouse, or possibly shifting backup guard Blake Brandel to tackle, where he hasn’t played since 2022.

Minnesota Vikings need Darrisaw back now more than ever

With Carson Wentz making his Vikings debut and starting center Ryan Kelly already ruled out, in place of the injured JJ McCarthy, relying on depth options to protect the 32-year-old veteran’s blindside would be less than ideal. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to read the above quotes and come away feeling good about Darrisaw’s availability for week 3.

If Christian Darrisaw does indeed sit out for the third-straight week to start the 2025 NFL season, it would raise serious questions surrounding why the MN Vikings did not place him on the PUP list, coming into the year.

Had they done so, Darrisaw would have been able to return after week 4, and would not have taken up a roster spot, in the interim. Instead, we’ve all been left to wonder week in, and week out, whether or not one of the most important players to Minnesota’s success offensively will be available. Just like we are entering this weekend.