Vikings' poor 2022 draft class is coming back to bite
The Minnesota Vikings are surprisingly 0-3 to this point in the season. The team could easily be 3-0, however, if not for crucial miscues and some bad luck. There are many reasons why the team is in the current situation it's in. For one, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has not drafted well in his short […]
The Minnesota Vikings are surprisingly 0-3 to this point in the season. The team could easily be 3-0, however, if not for crucial miscues and some bad luck.
There are many reasons why the team is in the current situation it's in. For one, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has not drafted well in his short tenure. Additionally, the general manager has been unwilling to fully rebuild, instead opting for a half-in, half-out approach.
The lack of production from Adofo-Mensah's 2022 picks was never more clear than it was in Week 3.
Against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3, Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth Jr., and Brian Asamoah II all played zero defensive snaps. Considering those players were drafted in the first, second, and third rounds respectively, it's concerning that none are even able to get on the field, much less start.
In 2022, Adodo-Mensah also drafted G Ed Ingram in the second round, CB Akayleb Evans in the fourth, DL Esezi Otomewo and RB Ty Chandler in the fifth, T Vederian Lowe and WR Jalen Nailor in the sixth, and TE Nick Muse in the 7th.
Of the 10 players selected in that draft, only Ingram and Evans are starters. Ingram isn't a success story, however, as the guard has consistently been the lowest-rated starter on the line. Evans has struggled but looks promising and should be a starter in the league. Otomewo was cut before the opener, Lowe was traded for a late-round pick, Nailor is injured, and Chandler and Muse rarely see the field.
So out of 10 players, only one has proven to be an average NFL starter. That is simply not good enough.
Some of these players could still turn out to be quality NFL starters, but the early returns are not encouraging. The same can be said for the 2023 class, who, save for Jordan Addison, has not impressed yet this season.
Of the six players drafted in 2023, one has been inactive for each game (QB Jaren Hall), one has been inactive for 2/3 games (DT Jaquelin Roy), and one didn't even make the roster (DeWayne McBride). Two of the rookies, CB Mekhi Blackmon and DB Jay Ward, have yet to make an impact at all. Addison appears to be a good player and could end up saving this class. But so far, the Vikings have got to be disappointed with how these last two draft classes have perfomed.
Should the Vikings trade Kirk Cousins?
When you start 0-3, questions like this start to get asked.
Featured image via © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
