Predicting the Vikings starting defense before training camp

Going into training camp, here are the projected starters on the defensive side of the football.

As the Minnesota Vikings near the start of their training camp, the defense will be a highly-contested unit.

Between multiple new additions — including free agents Marcus Davenport and Byron Murphy, Jr. — draft picks, and players returning from injury, defensive coordinator Brian Flores will have a lot of uncertainty to work through.

As a result, predicting the team’s starting defense before the start of camp is, well, challenging.

Still, predicting it allows there to be a discussion around multiple players. There’s no knowing which two linebackers start in Flores’ 3-4 base defense, but there’s an opportunity to offer educated guesses.

As a result, we’ll take an opportunity to project who will start for the Vikings in their base defense.