Ryan Van Demark Under Vikings' Spotlight as Christian Darrisaw Misses Week 5 (and That's Not a Problem)

The Vikings' offense hasn't lived up to expectations this season, and while some of the blame should fall on head coach Kevin O'Connell's shoulders, injuries have also played a part in the limited firepower. Unfortunately, Minnesota isn't even close to being out of the woods yet, as the left side of the offensive line could be without two of its anchors for the foreseeable future.

A torn meniscus has likely ended left guard Donovan Jackson's season, while left tackle Christian Darrisaw's outlook is murky as he keeps navigating the NFL's concussion protocol. His season might not be over like Jackson's, but Darrisaw will miss at least one more game after the Vikings officially ruled him out for Sunday's showdown against the Saints.

Final #Vikings Week 5 injury report

OUT: Christian Darrisaw and Chuck Demmings

QUESTIONABLE: Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, Michael Jurgens*, Brian O’Neill and Ben Yurosek*

*Currently in 21-day return to practice window pic.twitter.com/TLCCJUfUFF
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 9, 2026

As great as it would've been to see Darrisaw back on the field this weekend, it's never a good idea to rush a player back from a concussion. On top of that, the Vikings have their bye coming up next week, giving the Virginia Tech product even more time to make a full recovery.

Until then, Minnesota needs the next man to step up. Although rookie OT Caleb Tiernan might benefit from Darrisaw's continued absence, likely Sunday starter Ryan Van Demark will be tasked with filling that role—and it might go better than some fans expect.

Ryan Van Demark is more than capable of handling a starting role for Vikings vs. Saints

A former undrafted free agent signed by the Colts in 2022, Van Demark joined the Vikings on a one-year, $4.2 million contract in free agency after spending the last four seasons with the Bills. He played 558 offensive snaps across 43 games (six starts) during that stretch, giving him the type of experience Minnesota wanted in a backup tackle for a situation exactly like Darrisaw's injury.

Admittedly, Van Demark's pass protection isn't flawless, allowing 15 pressures despite only playing 250 pass-block downs for the Bills, according to Pro Football Focus. That said, his PFF pass-block grade improved with each passing season (27.2 to 51.8 to 65.6 in 2025), and he even looked extremely sound to close out last season.

Stats	Week 1-9	Week 10-18
Starts	1	3
Offensive snaps	78	234
Pressures allowed	3	6
Pressure rate	3.8%	2.6%
Sacks allowed	1	1

He wasn't perfect by any means, but it's clear that Van Demark successfully handled a bigger role when the Bills needed him to play one. He even saved his best performance of the year for last, finishing Week 18 with season-high grades for run blocking (82.6), pass protection (82.3) and overall offense (84.5).

Van Demark's efficiency in keeping his quarterbacks on their feet continues into the 2026 preseason, as he didn't allow a single sack over 50 offensive snaps in three appearances. And even though he allowed three pressures when filling in for Darrisaw in last week's win over the Dolphins, it was the same old, same old for the 6-foot-7, 307-pounder: no sacks surrendered.

Van Demark's importance will only increase if starting right tackle Brian O'Neill (questionable) also can't suit up in Week 5. The good news is that Van Demark has experience at both tackle roles, so he could fill in for O'Neill if the Vikings prefer Tiernan on the left side.

Either way, fans can expect to see Van Demark early and often as he makes his first start in Purple and Gold, regardless of which side of the O-line he's on. All signs point to him being able to handle the task, which will be crucial if the Vikings want to remain perfect when their bye week begins on Monday.

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