While it took longer than many expected, the Vikings managed to hammer out a monster extension with Justin Jefferson. The team can now turn its attention to other financial priorities, one of which is a second contract for left tackle Christian Darrisaw. 
[RELATED: Vikings Likely To Make DL, CB Additions?]
The latter has cemented himself as Minnesota’s blindside blocker, logging 39 starts in 41 games. Darrisaw has become one of the league’s top young offensive linemen over that span, and as a result it came as no surprise when the Vikings picked up his fifth-year option. That has him on track to earn $16.04MM in 2025.
A multi-year extension will check in at a much higher cost, of course. Despite having two years to work out an agreement, talks on an extension are underway. Nothing is imminent at this time, but Darrisaw profiles as a logical extension candidate as a foundational member of the Vikings’ offensive corps. Jefferson and tight end T.J. Hockenson are both on the books for years to come given their respective extensions. Other key offensive players – including wideout Jordan Addison and quarterback J.J. McCarthy – are under team control through the foreseeable future via their rookie contracts.
Alec Lewis of The Athletic notes the Vikings remain interested in working out a Darrisaw extension (subscription required). As he notes, though, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah – who was not in place when the Virginia Tech alum was drafted – has a deliberate process when it comes to in-house deals. Lewis adds Minnesota is in “no rush” on the Darrisaw front, but a deal near the top of the tackle market could still be on the horizon.
Penei Sewell signed the league’s most lucrative tackle pact despite playing on the right side. In terms of blindside protectors, five players average more than $20MM per year on their respective deals with Laremy Tunsil leading the way at a $25MM AAV. Darrisaw may not reach that level, but Lewis notes he recently changed agents; Drew Rosenhaus now represents him. It will be interesting to see if that change leads to traction being gained as it pertains to negotiations.
As things stand, Minnesota is set to be among the league leaders in 2025 cap space. A free agent departure ahead of next year is not an option for Darrisaw, but the Vikings will have plenty of flexibility to structure a multi-year investment. If team and player display a mutual desire to work out an agreement, a sizable extension could be in place well before his rookie deal expires.
Top offensive lineman? Zero 1st team all pro, zero 2nd team all pro, and zero time pro bowl.
Usually the top at a position get picked for at least one of these.
He’s a top ten left tackle in the league, for sure. Also, it said “top young offensive linemen.” The all-pro tackles last year were Trent Williams and Tyron Smith, who are very much not young.
To be fair there are plenty of young lineman that at least make a pro bowl. Sewell, Wirfs, Slater, Brown, Stanley, and Tunsil all made it at similar ages for their respective conferences over the past 5 years.
Could he make it this year? Sure. I am not saying he is bad by any measure but he is more middling than top given his current performance. He certainly has the tools to become top, but he hasn’t demonstrated that yet.
I suppose I am just very literal with the meaning of top being the highest or pinnacle of something. Bottom of the top 10 in the league is almost middle of the pack.
I think Darrisaw is very likely a top five left tackle at this point. PFF had him as the seventh best tackle this past year, and three of the guys ahead of him were right tackles (and two of the left tackles were over 30). He’s a very good player on the upswing. All-Pro will have him behind Trent Williams, who’s a cut above everyone. Pro Bowl will have him fighting with right tackles, which includes Sewell and Lane Johnson. I get where you’re coming from, but Darrisaw is really good, and most relevantly, he’s the kind of player you hold onto if you have him.
I can’t see an article about any of the 4th/5th year contracts without thinking about how the Raiders (Gruden mostly imo) screwed up one draft after another. Paye was probably the right call at that time, but if they insisted on an OT, no one in the world had Leatherwood rated higher than Darrisaw.
Gruden and Mayock illustrated how incompetent the media really is. Gruden loved every single QB coming into the league while working at ESPN; but was afraid to ever draft one high. Meanwhile ‘master scout and mock draft guru’ Mayock whiffed on every pick.
If Gruden had full control of the draft, and I don’t know who was making the decisions, Mayock should have declined the job. Because he looks like a fool.
I honestly think Gruden sat in the draft room until after the second round, and then allowed the pros to take over. It’s why our later picks were more successful than our earlier picks.
As much as I really like Alijah Vera-Tucker as a player when he’s healthy, it remains annoying that the Jets traded up to draft him with the Vikings, who took Darrisaw with the Jets’ pick. Getting the better player at the more valuable position after trading down was quite a win for the Vikings, even if their selections with the other picks in the trade didn’t amount to anything.