Matthew Coller: The good and bad that Cam Robinson brings to the Vikings

Robinson clearly is not Christian Darrisaw and his run blocking leaves much to be desired.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson (74) walks off the field after being ejected for fighting with Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (95), not shown, during the fourth quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars blanked the Carolina Panthers 26-0. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Unio / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Minnesota Vikings continue to use the trade market to bolster weaknesses on their roster. On Tuesday they traded for Jacksonville Jaguars veteran left tackle Cam Robinson.

The Vikings sent a conditional fifth-round pick in 2026 that can become a fourth based on playing time and they receive back a conditional seventh from the Jags. ESPN’s Field Yates reports that it’s likely the Jaguars will be keeping some of Robinson’s remaining camp owed money to make the deal work.

The Vikings took a major hit to the offense on Thursday when star tackle Christian Darrisaw was lost to a knee injury. Acquiring Robinson allows them to drop another experienced player into the position rather than shaking up the offensive line.

Robinson, a second-round pick in 2017, has played 5,665 snaps at left tackle in his career and over the last four seasons he has ranked 19th, 29th, 16th and 33rd (currently) in pass blocking by PFF grade. He has given up 15 pressures (33rd), including four sacks this season.

That doesn’t mean it’s been a smooth ride for Robinson. Since 2020, he has not played a complete season due to either injuries, benchings or a PED suspension that kept him out for the first four games of 2023. He has also struggled as a run blocker, having graded below average in every season of his career. Last year he scored a 51.0 grade, which ranked ninth worst among players with at least 500 snaps and he has never scored above 57.3 in a full season.

So is it a good trade for the Vikings?

It’s hard to figure out what option would have been better. Robinson isn’t perfect and there is clearly a reason that the Jaguars are moving on rather than trying to sign him to an extension after this year but he is a vastly better choice than sliding Blake Brandel to left tackle or playing David Quessenberry the rest of the way or throwing sixth-round rookie Walter Rouse to the wolves.

Brandel gave up seven sacks in 181 pass blocking snaps at left tackle as a fill-in player in 2022. He’s also been a quality starting left guard, so they would be making a sacrifice on the interior by moving him. Quessenberry has been strong in his swing tackle role but he hasn’t played more than 120 snaps at left tackle since 2020. Asking him to play 10 games in a row plus possibly playoff games would be a huge ask. Rouse showed potential in training camp and preseason but he needs development and experience. He could be in line to start at LT in 2025 if Darrisaw isn’t ready to return by Week 1.

The Vikings did well to take advantage of the low cost of doing business at this year’s trade deadline. On Tuesday, the Panthers traded receiver Diontae Johnson to the Ravens for a late-round pick swap when Carolina was reportedly seeking a third-round pick in return. Getting Robinson for only a 2026 fifth comes as a surprise considering the positional value.

Trading for Robinson does not tap into the Vikings’ already-limited future draft capital in a significant way and gives them a chance to continue operating their offense similarly to when Darrisaw was at left tackle. Certainly Robinson will need more help than an All-Pro caliber player like Darrisaw but the other options would have required somewhat of an overhaul of Kevin O’Connell’s passing game.

This move also allows the Vikings to make a decision about whether to start veteran Dalton Risner at right guard. Had Brandel moved to left tackle, they wouldn’t have had any other choice other than starting Risner at left guard. Now Risner could replace Ed Ingram, who is the second lowest graded guard in pass protection by PFF and ranks last (out of 59) in pass blocking efficiency. Risner allowed zero sacks last season in 11 starts and ranked 20th in pass blocking grade.

Quarterback Sam Darnold has not gotten rid of the ball quickly this season and needs a real left tackle on his side. He has the second longest average snap-to-throw number (3.14 seconds) in the NFL, only behind the 49ers’ Brock Purdy. He is the seventh most pressured QB, per PFF. Any serious downgrade in terms of pass protection could have resulted in an increase in turnovers and possibly put Darnold’s health at risk.

While this isn’t an “all-in” type of move with big draft capital involved, it does suggest that the Vikings still see their 5-2 start as a sign of being one of the better teams in the NFC. By point differential, they are third in the conference and the next three games against Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Tennessee offer an opportunity to keep the strong start to their season rolling. Those clubs have a combined 7-16 record. Robinson’s addition should keep them on course, rather than allowing the left tackle position to potentially unravel an offense that has been good enough to make them a contending team.