The Kansas City Chiefs stay on the road in Week 5 to take on the Minnesota Vikings.
2022 was somewhat of a strange season for the Vikings. They finished with a very good 13-4 record, however, they were beaten by double-digits and outscored by a total of 89 points in their four losses. They were then upset at home by the New York Giants in the wildcard round of the postseason.
Minnesota was productive and consistent offensively, ranking in the top 10 of the NFL in passing, total yards, and scoring. Unfortunately, it had an Achilles heel in its offensive line. The Vikings ranked 28th in rushing and quarterback Kirk Cousins suffered the most hits (84) and third-most sacks (46) in the league.
Oddly enough, the Vikings didn’t do anything to fix their offensive line this offseason, re-signing their starting center as well as both starting guards. They didn’t make a significant offensive line free agent signing, nor did they spend a single draft pick on one.
The Vikings then said goodbye to four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook and two-time Pro Bowl receiver Adam Thielen, both due to declining production and the need for salary cap relief. Minnesota drafted receiver Jordan Addison with its first-round draft pick to replace Thielen.
The Vikings’ defensive unit wasn’t pretty in 2022. It ranked 31st in the NFL against the pass as well as total defense and 20th against the run. One silver lining was its ability to get turnovers, forcing a total of 25 on the season, good for fourth-most in the league.
The two biggest acquisitions for the Vikings this offseason were outside linebacker Marcus Davenport and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. Both will instantly be starters and be expected to make an impact. Minnesota continued to revamp their secondary by drafting cornerback Mekhi Blackmon and safety Jay Ward in the third and fourth rounds, respectively.
Let’s take a look at some of the Vikings’ key players and their outlooks heading into the 2023 NFL season:
AP Photo-Reed Hoffmann
Statistically, Cousins usually ranks among the top quarterbacks in the league. He has seven career 4,000-yard seasons and has thrown at least 25 touchdown passes eight times. In 2022 he had the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL and was considered an MVP candidate midway through the year.
Cousins also faced some adversity last season. As mentioned above, he took the most hits among all QBs and battled through rib injuries for most of the year. His offensive line couldn’t keep him upright, which could have contributed to him setting a career-high in interceptions with 14.
Cousins could be in for a similar fate in 2023 since the Vikings failed to invest in their offensive line this offseason. He has some nice weapons to work with, but it could be all for naught if he can’t stay upright. The big knock against Cousins is that he doesn’t win big games, which is a fair criticism as he has a 1-4 record in the postseason.
AP Photo-Bruce Kluckhohn
After playing second fiddle to Dalvin Cook for the last four years, Mattison is taking over as the No. 1 running back in Minnesota. Mattison has performed well in games which Cook missed, including 13 career games with over 50 rushing yards and three over 100.
With Cook not missing any time last season for the first time in his career, Mattison’s workload dropped off quite a bit with a career-low 74 carries. However, not getting hit so much and preserving his legs could be a good thing. Mattison is a hard runner with good power and balance and shouldn’t have a problem handling a starting RB workload.
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In 2022 Jefferson made a case for himself as the best receiver in the NFL. He led the league in targets (184), receptions (128), yards (1,809), and 100-yard games (10). Jefferson is a human highlight reel with his combination of physicality and speed and ability to win contested catches.
He has been named an All-Pro and Pro Bowler in each of his three NFL seasons, and last year Jefferson was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Still just 24 years old, the only thing that’s going to slow him down is if he suffers an injury. He and Kirk Cousins have one of the best QB/WR rapports in the league.
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Hockenson has quietly been one of the better tight ends in the NFL over the last three seasons. In 2022 he caught 86 passes for 914 yards and six touchdowns, all new career highs. He did it for two different teams as he was traded midway through the season from the Detroit Lions to the Vikings.
Hockenson has drawn comparisons to the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce for his athletic ability and separation burst. He is a natural fit for coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense and should continue to be productive for the foreseeable future. Hockenson’s run blocking improved tremendously in O’Connell’s offense, going from ranking 58th among TEs in run blocking with Detroit to ranking ninth with Minnesota.
AP Photo-Reed Hoffmann
Hunter rebounded in a big way in 2022 after an injury-riddled 2021. He reached double-digit sacks for the fourth time in his career with 10.5, while also recording 65 total tackles and a forced fumble. Hunter is an explosive pass rusher with great length and a high motor.
Hunter is one of the more underrated pass rushers in the league, and he definitely realizes that as he enters the last year of his contract in 2023. The Vikings are up against the cap and don’t seem to have an urgency to re-sign him, fueling rumors that he could be traded. Those rumors have calmed down as of late and it’s possible he plays out his final year in Minnesota. If he does, he could have a career year as he looks to secure another big-time contract.