Christian Darrisaw’s Status Uncertain Ahead of Cowboys Showdown
The Minnesota Vikings faced a promising moment last week when their starting offensive line finally played together for a full game for the first time this season. However, heading into their pivotal matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, uncertainty looms over the availability of star left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
Darrisaw’s Practice Status Raises Concerns
Darrisaw did not participate in practices on Wednesday or Thursday, which sparked concern among fans and coaches alike. Fortunately, he returned for a limited session on Friday, leaving the door open for his participation on Sunday night. Officially, he is listed as questionable for the game taking place in Arlington, Texas.
“We’ll see how he feels coming off of today,” head coach Kevin O’Connell noted, indicating that Darrisaw’s condition remains closely monitored.
Ongoing Knee Issues Affect Performance
The 2024 season has been a challenging one for Darrisaw, who has been grappling with the lingering effects of a significant knee injury. After missing the beginning of the season, he suffered another setback during a short week against the Chargers in October and later missed additional time in late November due to an unrelated foot issue.
This season has seen Darrisaw adopt a practice routine of working on Wednesdays, resting on Thursdays, and returning on Fridays. Thus, his absence from the first two practice days this week was particularly notable. “At this point, it’s about managing the weeks based upon how he comes out of the previous game, where that (knee’s) at, and then try to put together a plan for the week that gives him the best chance to help us on Sundays,” O’Connell explained.
Despite his efforts, Darrisaw has not performed at his usual level. He currently holds the lowest Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of his career at 65.9 and has accumulated a career-high eight penalties over nine games. Nevertheless, having Darrisaw on the field is a far more favorable option than relying on backup Justin Skule.
Injury Updates on Other Players
The Vikings are also monitoring the status of running back and kick returner Ty Chandler, who remains in the 21-day window for activation from injured reserve. Chandler, who has been sidelined since Week 1 due to a knee injury, participated fully in practices this week and may be a candidate to join the 53-man roster by Saturday afternoon.
Additionally, T.J. Hockenson (shin) and Jordan Addison (Achilles) appeared on the injury report earlier in the week but are expected to play. “Nothing really happened,” O’Connell remarked regarding Addison’s condition. “Just the product of kinda normal December football soreness. He’s just been limited a little bit here and there, but won’t have a designation for the game.”
Safety Theo Jackson and defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez are also set to return after missing last week’s game due to neck injuries.
Final Injury Report Ahead of Cowboys Game
As the Vikings prepare for their matchup against the Cowboys, the final injury report lists both Darrisaw and Chandler as questionable. With the stakes high, all eyes will be on Darrisaw as the team hopes for his return to bolster their offensive line ahead of this crucial game.
