The Vikings lock up Christian Darrisaw with a huge deal but lose CB Mekhi Blackmon for the 2025 season to an ACL tear. A day of highs and lows for Minnesota.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
Wednesday at TCO Performance Center was a stark reminder of how quickly things can change in the NFL. In a whiplash of events, the Minnesota Vikings secured a cornerstone of their future by signing left tackle Christian Darrisaw to a historic contract extension, only to suffer a devastating blow with news that starting cornerback Mekhi Blackmon will miss the entire 2025 season with a torn ACL. It was a day of celebration and setback, a perfect microcosm of the hopes and hazards of a new season.
The Vikings just paid Christian Darrisaw to protect the quarterback's blindside, but now they have a massive blind spot in their secondary.
Let's start with the massive win. By signing Christian Darrisaw to a major, long-term extension, the Vikings have solidified the most important position on the offensive line. Darrisaw has evolved into one of the league's elite left tackles, and this 'historic' deal ensures that the blindside of whoever is under center will be protected for the foreseeable future. It's a foundational move that signals the front office's commitment to building a sustainable winner from the trenches out.
The celebration over Darrisaw's deal was short-lived. The news that Mekhi Blackmon tore his ACL in practice is a gut punch to the defense. After showing significant promise, Blackmon was penciled in as a key starter, and his absence leaves an already thin cornerback room in a perilous state. The team quickly signed corner Jacobi Francis and linebacker Jabril Cox for depth, but a more significant move feels inevitable. This injury also magnifies the questions at safety, where Theo Jackson is competing for snaps following Cam Bynum's departure and Josh Metellus plays on the final year of his deal.
With every challenge comes opportunity, and the current beneficiary is rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy. With Justin Jefferson now sidelined for a full week with his own injury, McCarthy is getting a crash course running the first-team offense. He's reportedly building critical chemistry with tight ends T.J. Hockenson (who started camp on the PUP list) and Josh Oliver, as well as the running back tandem of Jordan Mason and Ty Chandler. Meanwhile, receiver Jordan Addison addressed his offseason legal troubles, stating he pleaded no contest to a lesser charge from his 2024 DUI and is now awaiting the NFL's decision on potential discipline.
Despite the mixed news, Head Coach Kevin O'Connell is pushing forward. After a day off, the team was back in full pads, with O'Connell emphasizing the need to maintain high standards and intensity. With three padded practices scheduled in four days, the coaching staff is clearly focused on hardening the roster for the upcoming preseason. The full participation of linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel is a positive sign, but the team will have to build its identity for 2025 while key players like Jefferson and Hockenson work their way back to the field.
The Vikings have locked down a foundational piece in Christian Darrisaw, a move that will pay dividends for years. But the immediate future just got cloudier. All eyes will now be on GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to see how he addresses the gaping hole at cornerback, and on rookie J.J. McCarthy to see if he can accelerate his development with an offense that is suddenly missing its brightest star. The road to a consecutive playoff berth just got a lot bumpier.
