The Minnesota Vikings have experienced significant changes in their roster since the regime shift two years ago, but there is one crucial component they are determined to retain for as long as possible.
Left tackle Christian Darrisaw is entering the final year of his four-year, $13.35 million rookie contract in 2024. Being a former first-round pick (No. 23 overall in the 2021 NFL draft), the Vikings have the opportunity to exercise a fifth-year option on Darrisaw’s contract by early May.
Opting for this will require Minnesota to allocate over $16 million for the 2025 season. However, this seems a reasonable investment given Darrisaw’s performance in his first three professional seasons and a projected market value of $24.6 million annually over a new four-year deal (amounting to nearly $98.5 million in total), according to Spotrac.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report predicted on April 17 that the Vikings will opt to exercise their fifth-year option on Darrisaw with little debate or hesitation.
“Sewell, Slater, and Darrisaw have all emerged as cornerstone tackles for their respective teams,” Kay remarked. “While injuries have been a minor concern for the latter two, they have both solidified themselves as linchpins in their teams’ offensive lines.”
Vikings LT Christian Darrisaw Among Best Tackles in NFL When Healthy
While he hasn’t consistently displayed Hall of Fame potential, partly due to the injuries mentioned by Kay, Darrisaw’s future is still promising. He has participated in 41 out of a potential 51 regular-season games, starting in 39 of them, during his three-year tenure with the Minnesota Vikings.
When in good health, Darrisaw has proven himself as one of the NFL’s top offensive tackles. He spent numerous weeks during the 2022 season ranked near the top of his position by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and concluded the 2023 season as the 7th-best tackle among 81 qualifying players, according to PFF’s advanced analytics metric.
Last season, Darrisaw allowed 6 sacks and committed 7 penalties across 982 snaps while playing left tackle in 15 starts for the Vikings. Additionally, he earned a respectable grade of 73.9 from PFF as a run blocker.
Vikings Must Soon Come to Long-Term Deal With Superstar WR Justin Jefferson
Darrisaw’s one-year extension is not the only contract the Minnesota Vikings must address this offseason, and it might not even be the most critical. That distinction likely belongs to three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who has been eligible for an extension since last offseason and will play on his own $19.7 million fifth-year rookie option in 2024.
Jefferson is poised to set a new benchmark for wide receiver contracts, potentially commanding a deal worth over $140 million overall and $30 million annually, based on the current highest salaries for wideouts across the league.
The challenge for Minnesota is that they delayed Jefferson’s extension until this offseason. Not only would the star receiver likely have been more affordable last year due to the lower salary cap, but he also would have been less demanding with quarterback Kirk Cousins already under contract.
Now, the Vikings not only have to offer Jefferson a record-setting sum to retain him, but they also need to demonstrate a solid quarterback plan moving forward. Currently, that plan includes Sam Darnold and potentially selecting a franchise quarterback with a first-round draft pick, though the specific player has yet to be determined.
