The Kansas City Chiefs stay on the road in Week 5 to take on the Minnesota Vikings.
2022 was somewhat of a strange season for the Vikings. They finished with a very good 13-4 record, however, they were beaten by double-digits and outscored by a total of 89 points in their four losses. They were then upset at home by the New York Giants in the wildcard round of the postseason.
Minnesota was productive and consistent offensively, ranking in the top 10 of the NFL in passing, total yards, and scoring. Unfortunately, it had an Achilles heel in its offensive line. The Vikings ranked 28th in rushing and quarterback Kirk Cousins suffered the most hits (84) and third-most sacks (46) in the league.
Oddly enough, the Vikings didn’t do anything to fix their offensive line this offseason, re-signing their starting center as well as both starting guards. They didn’t make a significant offensive line free agent signing, nor did they spend a single draft pick on one.
The Vikings then said goodbye to four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook and two-time Pro Bowl receiver Adam Thielen, both due to declining production and the need for salary cap relief. Minnesota drafted receiver Jordan Addison with its first-round draft pick to replace Thielen.
The Vikings’ defensive unit wasn’t pretty in 2022. It ranked 31st in the NFL against the pass as well as total defense and 20th against the run. One silver lining was its ability to get turnovers, forcing a total of 25 on the season, good for fourth-most in the league.
The two biggest acquisitions for the Vikings this offseason were outside linebacker Marcus Davenport and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. Both will instantly be starters and be expected to make an impact. Minnesota continued to revamp their secondary by drafting cornerback Mekhi Blackmon and safety Jay Ward in the third and fourth rounds, respectively.
Let’s take a look at some of the Vikings’ key players and their outlooks heading into the 2023 NFL season: