With the official schedule launch creeping nearer, the NFL already gave the Minnesota Vikings a sneak peek backstage. They know they’ll play on the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night time Soccer in Week 2 and the New Orleans Saints in London two weeks later.

It’s additionally evident that the Vikings have loads of opponents on the docket who orchestrated franchise-altering strikes within the offseason. Lots of them added affect wideouts, and a handful may have somebody new beneath heart.

The Indianapolis Colts are among the many 9 dwelling video games on the slate for Minnesota in 2022. Indianapolis moved on rapidly after one yr of the Carson Wentz experiment. Now Matt Ryan might be beneath heart.

Ryan spent his first 14 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. Whereas he’s on the again finish of his profession, this transfer despatched waves by the AFC South. The Falcons may have a brand new beginning quarterback for the primary time since 2007.

The Washington Commanders are on the opposite finish of the Colts’ determination to kick Wentz to the curb. Wentz was traded from the Colts to the Commanders and would be the starter for a crew in D.C. that has tons of expertise at huge receiver.

It simply so occurs the Vikings will make a visit to tackle Wentz and the Commanders this yr.

Quarterbacks will not be the overriding narrative on Minnesota’s schedule that stands out. It’s the huge receivers.

The Miami Dolphins showdown might be an enchanting matchup, no matter what week it’s performed in. Miami has a brand new head coach in Mike McDaniel, who comes from the Kyle Shanahan teaching tree. However that wasn’t the largest acquisition they made in the course of the offseason. The Dolphins traded for Tyreek Hill and can pair him with Jaylen Waddle, giving them what very properly is perhaps the quickest huge receiver duo in the complete NFL.

Buying Hill confirmed that the Dolphins aren’t sitting again and watching the Buffalo Payments take over the division. As a substitute, they’re giving Tua Tagovailoa all kinds of weapons.

Miami is much from the one Vikings opponent that overhauled their receiver room. Everybody is aware of that the Inexperienced Bay Packers traded Davante Adams, however Marquez Valdes-Scantling additionally left in free company. There’s familiarity with Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard returning. Nevertheless, there are additionally loads of new faces at huge receiver in Inexperienced Bay. They added veteran Sammy Watkins and drafted three pass-catchers, together with Christian Watson.

Talking of receiving threats, when precisely the Vikings find yourself taking part in the Arizona Cardinals may very well be pivotal. DeAndre Hopkins is suspended for the primary six video games of the season, so for many who must play Arizona in 2022, why not get it out of the best way early and skip a go to with Hopkins?

The issue is, the Cardinals had been proactive on draft evening and traded for Marquise Brown, prying him away from the Baltimore Ravens. Hopkins and Brown make up one of the vital terrifying duos within the NFL. For the Vikings specifically, it may all come right down to what week they tackle Arizona.

To essentially ship this level dwelling with huge receiver makeovers on the Vikings’ schedule, don’t neglect in regards to the Detroit Lions. The afterthought of the NFC North is dialing up its aggressiveness in making an attempt to win as quickly as doable.

Detroit discovered a gem in Amon-Ra St. Brown final, and the rookie figures to be a giant a part of the passing sport for the years to return. Additionally they added D.J. Chark in free company and drafted Jameson Williams, who might turn into one of the best huge receiver on this draft class. Oh yeah, and the Lions traded with the Vikings to maneuver as much as decide No. 12 and get him.

Sure, the Lions will nonetheless be glossed over by the lots because the common season approaches. However there are a whole lot of quarterbacks who would join that state of affairs, which is able to presumably be Jared Goff‘s once more.

Talking of rookies, Minnesota performs the New York Jets, who took wideout Garrett Wilson with the No. 10-overall decide. Who went after him at No. 11? That may be Chris Olave, one other huge receiver and Wilson’s teammate at Ohio State. Olave landed with the Saints, who the Vikings additionally play.

Former Peen State Nittany Lions wideout Jahan Dotson landed with the Commanders, who chosen him at No. 16. That’s 4 first-round wideouts on this draft class that the Vikings will play. Add that to the Dolphins getting Hill, the Cardinals getting Hollywood Brown, and the Eagles buying and selling for ex-Tennessee Titans star A.J. Brown, and it’s full-blown chaos.

Maybe this will finest be summed up by noting that, within the first spherical of the 2022 draft, 10 strikes in complete concerned both drafting rookie wideouts or trades for star huge receivers. This yr, the Vikings will play seven of these huge receivers in Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown, and Marquise Brown, all of whom had been traded for first-round picks. They’ll play 4 extra who had been drafted within the first spherical — Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jameson Williams, and Jahan Dotson.

Groups undergo roster tinkering each offseason. It’s the character of the beast. Nevertheless, an oddly excessive variety of groups went by vital adjustments at huge receiver, with a couple of alterations at quarterback that pop up on the Vikings’ calendar this upcoming season.

It’s a very good factor the Vikings bulked up the secondary through the draft with Lewis Cine and Andrew Sales space Jr. Bringing again Patrick Peterson isn’t too shabby, both.