We are at that point in the NFL offseason where every team feels they have a chance to compete this season, save for maybe a few.  

This is especially true for the teams who are coming off of a playoff appearance in 2022 like the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings capitalized on a down year for the NFC North and won the division for the first time since 2017. 

However, one noted NFL reporter does not foresee the Vikings repeating in 2023. 

Jeff Darlington was one of four ESPN panelists who were asked to identify one NFC playoff team from 2022 that will not return in 2023. 

Alan Hahn and Andrew Hawkins both selected the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs are widely expected to be heading for a down year in the post-Tom Brady era, so that selection is reasonable. Darlington, however, went a different route. 

"I think that that's an easy and obvious choice here,"explained Darlington. "I'm gonna try to stray a little bit. No disrespect guys, but I'm gonna say the Vikings."

"I know that's tough on them because this is a talented team, but no more Dalvin Cook and the other thing I'd point to, is they had 11 one-score games (in 2022), the most in NFL history," continued Darlington. 

Darlington correctly opined that it is unwise to count on winning so many close games in 2023. "Not easy, especially when you don't have Dalvin Cook on your roster." 

The Vikings are currently projected to win just eight games in 2023, which would likely leave them out of the playoffs. 

To play Devil's advocate, the Vikings seemingly have an opening with Aaron Rodgers gone and the Bears still in the midst of a rebuild. Simply taking care of Detroit could be enough to give Minnesota the division once again. 

Does the team have enough left on the roster to make up for all the quality veterans that departed this offseason? Jeff Darlington sure doesn't think so.