Three reasons to be optimistic about the Minnesota Vikings in 2023
The Minnesota Vikings are likely not going to be contenders in 2023. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has acknowledged that the team will have to go through a "competitive rebuild," due to the aging roster and bloated salaries. However, not all is necessarily lost in 2023. I want to look at three reasons Vikings' fans can […]
The Minnesota Vikings are likely not going to be contenders in 2023.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has acknowledged that the team will have to go through a "competitive rebuild," due to the aging roster and bloated salaries.
However, not all is necessarily lost in 2023. I want to look at three reasons Vikings' fans can be optimistic about this season.
No more Aaron Rodgers
The mean man in Green Bay is gone. Rodgers was the main obstacle in the way of the Vikings winning the NFC North for years, so the division immediately got easier when the future Hall of Famer got shipped to New York.
Without Rodgers in the division, the Detroit Lions are currently projected to win the NFC North. However, the Lions' projected win total is only 0.5 games more than the Vikings' total. Meanwhile, the Bears are likely still rebuilding and at least another year away.
If the Vikings can handle the NFC North, the playoffs are far from out of the question.
The offense will still be fun
Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook will no longer be sporting the purple and gold. However, that doesn't mean the Vikings' offense is going to sputter.
The team selected receiver Jordan Addison in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft and seems set to roll with Alexander Mattison as the new lead back. Mattison has performed well when given opportunities and Addison was extremely productive in college.
While Thielen is still productive, the receiver will be 33 when the 2023 season kicks off. Dalvin Cook will be 28, which is almost ancient in running back years.
Are we sure that Addison and Mattison won't end up being upgrades? I think it is extremely possible that they could be.
The young defense could be fun
The Viking defense has undergone a massive facelift this offseason. Za'Darius Smith, Eric Kendricks, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Patrick Peterson are gone and the team will now turn to guys like Brian Asamoah II, Andrew Booth Jr., Jaquelin Roy, and DJ Wonnum.
The secondary in particular is very young, with Booth, Akayleb Evans, and Lewis Cine set to play big roles. Jay Ward, Mekhi Blackmon, and Camryn Bynum are young guys who should also get plenty of playtime.
This unit likely won't be leading the league in any categories, but it will be fun to see which of these players can turn into quality starters.
Featured image via © Matt Krohn | 2023 Jan 15
