Inside The Vikings

Vikings Pick Up Christian Darrisaw's Fifth-Year Option

This is the second straight year where the Vikings' decision was a no-brainer.

Will Ragatz

Sep 19, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw
Sep 19, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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The Vikings have exercised the fifth-year option on the rookie contract of left tackle Christian Darrisaw, the team announced on Monday. The No. 23 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has developed into one of the better offensive tackles in the NFL, so this was a no-brainer for Minnesota's front office.

Because Darrisaw hasn't made a Pro Bowl, his fifth-year salary for 2025 is projected at just over $16 million. He became eligible for an extension this offseason, but history suggests the Vikings will dive deep into those negotiations next year, ahead of the final year of his rookie deal. Barring something surprising, getting an extension done with Darrisaw to keep him in Minnesota long-term will be one of the team's top priorities next offseason.

Darrisaw has played at a Pro Bowl level for the last two seasons, even if he hasn't earned those honors yet due to the tough competition at the position and the fact that he's missed a few games due to injury. The tackles who have filled the NFC's four Pro Bowl spots in each of the last two years are Trent Williams, Lane Johnson, Penei Sewell, and Tristan Wirfs. Darrisaw is on that level, but he doesn't have quite the same name recognition as those players and hasn't yet stayed healthy for a full 17-game campaign.

Back in the 2021 draft, the Vikings' previous Rick Spielman-led regime traded back from 14 to 23 and picked Darrisaw, which turned out to be quite the move. He began his rookie season on the sidelines while recovering from a groin injury, but stepped into the starting lineup in Week 6 and showed signs of greatness by improving as the season went along. In his second season, he became one of the NFL's elite tackles, earning a 90.3 PFF grade that trailed only Williams at the position. The only thing that slowed him down was an injury that cost him three full games and parts of two others. Darrisaw continued to play at an elite level last year, though he did miss two more games due to injury.

The 6'5", 315-pound Darrisaw is a rare offensive lineman who makes highlight plays on a regular basis. He's a physically dominant left tackle with an incredible blend of strength, athleticism, technique, and consistency. Darrisaw, who turns 25 this summer, looks poised to be one of the game's best offensive linemen for many years to come.

This was the second consecutive year where the Vikings had a no-brainer decision on a fifth-year option. Last year, it was Justin Jefferson, who snapped a four-year streak without the Vikings exercising a fifth-year option.

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Will Ragatz

WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is the publisher of Inside the Vikings, an SI.com channel in the Fan Nation network. He's in his fourth season as a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat writer, covering the team at practices, games, and all offseason long.  Will posts daily Vikings articles year-round. Not only is he on top of all the latest news, he provides the analysis and context to put the news into perspective. He knows the team inside and out, which allows him to bring depth and quality to his coverage. From free agency to the draft to training camp and the NFL season, Will covers every relevant story surrounding the Vikings. Prior to taking this role in 2019, Will attended Northwestern University and studied at the renowned Medill School of Journalism. As a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball, among other sports, for SB Nation's Inside NU. Will was a co-editor-in-chief of the site during his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned at Sports Illustrated's newsroom in New York City, writing articles primarily on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com. A native of Minneapolis who still resides in the city, Will grew up a diehard Minnesota sports fan. He played baseball at Southwest High School and wrote for the student newspaper.