The season is approaching. The editorial staff of DNA of Sports invites you to take stock of the strengths and weaknesses of the 32 franchises. Today, the Minnesota Vikings 2023. You can find all the presentations by clicking on this link.
Third-best record in the NFC in 2022, Minnesota shone during the regular season. Elimination in the first round against the Giants at home tarnished the image of a yet encouraging season.
Often considered a lucky team that did not deserve its record, the Vikings will have the opportunity, in 2023, to prove that they can be a serious and regular candidate for the playoffs.
Last season: 13 wins – 4 losses, winner of the NFC North, loss in wild cards
Movements in the off-season
Notable arrivals: Marcus Davenport (LB), Byron Murphy (CB), Dean Lowry (DE), Josh Oliver (TE), Tanner Vallejo (LB)
Re-signings: Garrett Bradbury (C), Alexander Mattison (RB), Jordan Hicks (LB), Nick Mullens (QB), Greg Joseph (K)
Draft: Jordan Addison (WR), Mekhi Blackmon (CB), Jay Ward (S), Jaquelin Roy (DT), Jaren Hall (QB), DeWayne McBride (RB)
Notable losses: Adam Thielen (WR), Eric Kendricks (LB), Dalvin Cook (RB), Za’Darius Smith (DE), Dalvin Tomlinson (DT), Patrick Peterson (CB), Irv Smith Jr (TE), Chandon Sullivan (BC), Cameron Dantzler (BC), Duke Shelley (BC)
Constrained by a limited payroll, Minnesota could not splurge during the free agency. Marcus Davenport will replace Za’Darius Smith, while Byron Murphy takes the place of Patrick Peterson. Losing momentum, and more in terms of their salary expectations, franchise histories have also been invited to pursue their careers elsewhere.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the general manager of the franchise, thus favored the less expensive extensions of Alexander Mattison and Jordan Hicks, to the detriment of Dalvin Cook and Eric Kendricks. Another notable departure, Adam Thielen, was replaced in the draft.
With their first choice, the Vikings have thus recovered Jordan Addison whose association with Justin Jefferson could do damage. The second choice having served as a bargaining chip for TJ Hockenson, the purples waited until the third and fourth rounds to strengthen their aerial coverage with Mekhi Blackmon and Jay Ward.
The strong points
Voted Offensive Player of the Year 2022, Justin Jefferson is the main attraction of this team. Minnesota has also invested a lot to put it in the best possible conditions. Between the arrival during the season of the second most prolific tight end and the choice of Jordan Addison, everything is done to limit double coverage on the best receiver in the NFL. Also with KJ Osborn, Kirk Cousins has four high quality targets for this season.
The two tackles are also a solid asset in this attack. Long suffering in recent years, the exteriors of the offensive line are now well protected by Brian O’Neill on the right, and especially by Christian Darrisaw on the left.
There are few reasons for satisfaction when looking at Minnesota’s defensive squad, but Danielle Hunter is one. If contractual stories have cast doubt on his future in purple, the defensive end will play well in his eighth season with the Vikings. Author of 71 career sacks, for 102 games played, Hunter once again exceeded the bar of 10 last year. He may be the only hope of this defense.
The weak spots
How long ago the defense of the Vikings carried this team. Last year, only the Lions (6,670) conceded more yards than the Vikings (6,608). If the pass rush was limiting breakage in 2021, its growing inefficiency in 2022 has exposed more holey air cover than the Wisconsin rivals’ hats. To overcome this, almost the entire group of cornerbacks has been modified. However, it is difficult to believe in a marked improvement in this sector, given the current pedigree of the substitutes.
If the attack is the spearhead of this team, it could well be handicapped by the interior of its line. If the left guard, Ezra Cleveland, is rather solid, his two friends were particularly worrying during training camps.
Nothing new for Garrett Bradbury, who has struggled to convince since his selection in the first round of the 2019 draft. For his second year in the NFL, right guard Ed Engram can still have the benefit of the doubt. But he will have to show a lot more this year to justify his selection in the second round of the 2022 draft.
The X Factor: Brian Flores (Defensive Coordinator)
To be credible, this team must make enormous progress in defense. However, on paper, it is difficult to say that the 2023 squad is stronger than the 2022 version. The only real change concerns the position of defensive coordinator. Considered too wait-and-see, and responsible for the fiasco of last season, Ed Donatell took the door.
To replace him, O’Connell and the Vikings turned to Brian Flores. With him, the Minnesota defense should no longer lack aggressiveness. Is that really what this squad lacked? To what extent can his arrival transform this defense? Answer in the next few weeks.
Player to watch: Alexander Mattison (RB)
Long number two, Alexander Mattison is rising in rank this year. Dalvin Cook gone, it is on him that the ground game of the purples will mainly rest. Solid in his first two seasons, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, Mattison saw the latter drop to 3.8 in 2022.
It was also the last year that he touched the fewest balls (74) while participating in 17 regular season games. Despite this, the Vikings decided to make him their number 1 runner for this year.
In an attack which is likely to be strongly oriented towards the pass, it is up to him to take advantage of the spaces left by defenses more attentive to the movements of Jefferson and Hockenson.
2023 Minnesota Vikings Schedule
Buccaneers, @Eagles, Chargers, @Panthers, Chiefs, @Bears, 49ers, @Packers, @Falcons, Saints, @Broncos, Bears, @Raiders, @Bengals, Lions, Packers, @Lions
The audio preview of the podcast
In summary
The Vikings will start the 2023 season with the same problems as in 2022. A promising offense, with a questionable offensive line, and an unreliable defense. Handicaps that did not prevent the violets from finishing last season with 13 wins.
From there, taking into account a tougher schedule, it is possible to see Minnesota again participate in the January festivities, but with a less favorable margin than in 2022.
Last point to take into account, this franchise has often chained the good and the bad during the last decade. To find traces of two consecutive seasons with more than 10 victories, you have to go back to 2009. A nice little challenge for O’Connell and his gang.
