In addition to the Minnesota Vikings‘ Thursday Night Football loss to the Los Angeles Rams, left tackle Christian Darrisaw sustained a season-ending injury. The Jacksonville Jaguars have a competent replacement ready to take over, which is fortunate for the Vikings.
Before halftime, Darrisaw hurt his knee. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he tore both his ACL and MCL, which ended his season.
Darrisaw, a key member of the Vikings’ offensive line, was named one of the NFL’s best run blockers by Pro Football Focus after allowing just two sacks and ten total pressures this season.
With the Vikings currently at 5-2 and aiming for a high playoff seed, they will be looking for ways to replace Darrisaw. Cam Robinson, a tackle for the Jaguars, meets that need. He had a rough start to the season, allowing four sacks and 13 pressures in the first three games. However, in the last four weeks, he has greatly improved, allowing just three pressures as the Jaguars’ offense has increased in output.
Walker Little would probably take Robinson’s place at left tackle if the Jaguars traded him. Little was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft, has made 17 starts in his career, and will be a free agent the following year.
Robinson participated in offseason trade talks that would have given the Jaguars $17 million in cap space. However, they opted to keep him, possibly due to not receiving a satisfactory offer. Due to Darrisaw’s injury, the Jaguars may now demand a higher price for Robinson.
Additionally, with the New York Giants losing left tackle Andrew Thomas, there may be multiple teams interested in Robinson’s services. Jacksonville might request a third-round pick, depending on the market.
In summary, the Jaguars have options regarding Cam Robinson. A trade could be advantageous if they feel he does not fit into their long-term plans, and the Vikings are a strong contender. However, they may choose to retain him if they think he can help turn their season around.