As a rookie, Chrisitan Darrisaw stepped in at left tackle for the Vikings, starting 10 games and providing fans with a glimmer of certainty at the position.
Having a stallworth at left tackle to protect your franchise quarterback makes the entire offense’s life much easier. Darrisaw struggled at times in pass protection, surrendering five sacks, but he was outstanding in the run game.
However, in 398 pass-blocking snaps, he only allowed 22 pressures, so there is room for growth, but not terrible for a rookie left tackle. He is, though, already showing promise in camp, and some have compared him to the NFL’s greatest left tackle, San Francisco’s Trent Williams.
The Vikings’ coaches have expressed their admiration for Darrisaw and believe that he has already made the necessary progress this offseason to convince them that he can become the franchise tackle they had in mind when they selected him in the first round.
There is still much to clean up, but he is already moving in that direction. Last year’s injuries slowed him down and contributed to some of the passing game struggles.
From a talent perspective, there is no denying that Darrisaw possesses every quality a left tackle should have. In the end, he must continue to work hard and stay healthy, but the early 2022 results indicate he will have a fantastic sophomore campaign.
