The Vikings will kick off the 2023 NFL season on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That's right, a new season of NFL football is just days away. 

The Vikings will open the season with the second-best odds to win the NFC North, but the division seems wide-open. The Lions and Bears are young and unproven and the Packers are entering a new era without Aaron Rodgers. 

With that being said, winning the first game against Tampa Bay is crucial for the Vikings to start with positive momentum. Let's go over the three things we will be watching closely during this game. 

Will 2-TE sets be commonplace?

The Vikings recently inked TJ Hockenson to a record-setting contract extension as the TE figures to again be a key piece of this offense. However, the team also brought in Josh Oliver this offseason and gave him over $10M guaranteed. Oliver is not known as a blocker, so the Vikes now have two TEs who are above-average receivers. 

It will be interesting to see how this load is managed. Justin Jefferson and KJ Osborn were listed as the starting receivers, but rookie Jordan Addison should see plenty of targets. I want to see how many receivers see meaningful snaps against the Bucs. 

Kevin O'Connell also loves Johnny Mundt, the third TE. With three quality tight ends, will there be enough targets to go around? 

Will the new-look secondary show signs of improvement?

Only the Tennessee Titans were worse against the pass than the Vikings were in 2022. In response, almost the entire secondary was replaced. In the team’s latest depth chart, Akayleb Evans and Byron Murphy Jr. are listed as the starters. 

Murphy is a solid veteran nickel and Evans has been the most impressive young corner this summer. The rookie Mekhi Blackmon will see plenty of snaps as well, as will former second-rounder Andrew Booth Jr. 

Granted, the Bucs probably don't represent the toughest test, but it will still be interesting to gauge how these guys handle an opponent. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are tough tasks to cover no matter who is throwing them the ball. 

Can the running game improve even without Dalvin Cook?

The Vikings were one of just eight NFL teams to average fewer than 100 rushing yards per game in 2022. It may be hard to see how that could improve in 2023 now that Dalvin Cook is gone, but I think it’s possible. 

Yes, the team has one of the best WRs in football, but I think this team will have to establish the run. Keeping a fullback and three tight ends leads me to believe that running the football will still be a priority in Minnesota. Alexander Mattison has always flashed when gives snaps, but how will he do as a full-timer?

The Bucs' defense is still tough, especially up front. Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey up front with Devin White and Lavonte David in the middle gives the Bucs a tough unit to go against. 

Vikings unofficial Week 1 depth chart reactions

Reacting to the Vikings’ unofficial Week 1 depth chart.

Featured image via © Jeffrey Becker | 2023 Aug 19