5 Vikings positions that have worsened since the start of training camp

Left Tackle

After this year’s NFL Draft, the Vikings were feeling pretty good about the left tackle position. They just used their first pick on Christian Darrisaw and had a solid backup on the roster in Rashod Hill. Darrisaw was a big, physical road grader who, after getting acclimated to the speed of the NFL, would become a cornerstone of Minnesota’s offensive line.

The rookie was in and out of minicamp as he was recovering from an injury, but the team still hoped to have him back for the start of training camp. He was a no-show at the first practice of camp, and just a few weeks ago, it was reported he had surgery to repair a core muscle, meaning he’ll be unavailable for quite a while. This thrust Hill into the starting lineup and put Blake Brandel as the backup, and this is where the trouble has started.

Hill looked decent in practice but has struggled during preseason action. He also has been dinged up, which has caused him to miss time. In his absence, Brandel has stepped in and hasn’t looked very good at all. He’s just not ready yet, and still needs time to learn and develop. This isn’t a good combination for the Vikings, and they will pray Darrisaw has a very quick recovery, or they may need to bring in a veteran if Kirk Cousins is going to have any time to throw the ball this season.