The Minnesota Vikings were dealt a major blow on Sunday when starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw was lost to a season-ending knee injury.
They did not waste any time in filling that opening in advance of next Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
The Vikings acquired left tackle Cam Robinson from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday night, sending draft-pick compensation back the other way, according to a report from NFL Network.
Robinson was a second-round pick by the Jaguars in 2017 and has been a regular starter on their offensive line ever since. He is not quite on the same level as Darrisaw as a player at this point, but he is still better than the Vikings’ alternatives with Darrisaw sidelined.
It is a bold move for a Vikings team that recognizes it has an opportunity to win right now and did not want to let an injury get in the way of that. A quality starting left tackle is a key part of any contending team, and they ended up getting one here.
The Vikings are 5-2 and in third place in the mighty NFC North, behind the 6-1 Detroit Lions and 6-2 Green Bay Packers.
For the Jaguars, it is another clear sign that they are punting on the remainder of this season and looking ahead to the future in the hopes of acquiring as many draft-pick assets as they can. They already traded defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris to the Seattle Seahawks.
Wide receiver Christian Kirk was also a potential trade candidate until he suffered a broken collarbone on Sunday. The Jaguars are 2-6 this season.