4 Vikings Questions that the 2023 NFL Draft Should Answer
The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and it should be a very interesting few days for the Minnesota Vikings when it does arrive on Thursday, April 27th. A number of Vikings questions have to be answered yet this offseason, including the long-term status of multiple veterans on their roster. Here are four questions that the draft should answer for the Vikings.
Is K.J. Osborn the WR2?
Things seemed to be trending towards K.J. Osborn being the WR2 of the future for Minnesota following a strong 2021 campaign, but despite Minnesota’s passing rate going through the roof in 2022, his production didn’t go up with it. Another 650 receiving yards is certainly nothing to scoff at, but is it enough to trust the fourth-year receiver to be the WR2 now that Thielen is gone?
This is probably the most important question for the Vikings to answer with this draft class as Osborn is set to hit free agency following the 2023 season, and a new contract will need to be worked out for him to stay in purple for 2024 and beyond.
How Much Do the Vikings Trust the 2022 Draft Class?
We really didn’t get to see much of the 2022 Vikings draft class on the field last season, and it was due to a couple reasons. Firstly, injuries got the better of almost the entire class outside of Ed Ingram, forcing players to miss extensive time. In addition, many of the prospects in that class were considered raw from the beginning, so they didn’t make much initial headway on the depth chart to begin with.
This draft could display how much faith the Vikings actually have in this class, particularly in the secondary. Everybody and their neighbor is projecting Minnesota to target a cornerback at some point in this draft, and that may be the pathway they take, but if the Vikings believe that Andrew Booth, Lewis Cine, and Akayleb Evans can be productive for them, perhaps this need isn’t as dire as some may think.
What Is the Future of Kirk Cousins?
This draft could be the one that officially seals the fate of Kirk Cousins’ future with the Vikings. There are many signs pointing towards Minnesota moving on from their current starter following the 2023 season, and none would shout that intention louder than officially selecting a quarterback in this draft, especially a quarterback in the first or second rounds.
Cousins did not get an extension this offseason, and instead, he got a cap conversion that led to there being a $28.5 million dead money hit on his name in 2024 if he is not on the team anymore. That cap hit becomes much easier to absorb with a starting QB on a rookie deal, so if the Vikings do select a quarterback early on, it would indicate the beginning of the end for Cousins’ tenure in Minnesota.
Will the Vikings Trade Dalvin Cook/Za’Darius Smith?
The Minnesota Vikings have had more rumors surrounding a potential release or trade of either RB Dalvin Cook or OLB Za’Darius Smith this offseason. These players carry large cap hits in the future, and Minnesota would save boatloads of money both now and in 2024 if they can get off their contracts.
The most logical way to do so at this point would be a trade at some point in the draft. If the Vikings have their eye on a prospect in this class in Day 2 or early Day 3, perhaps trading these veterans would be a way to grab a couple extra picks to snag said prospect.
Regardless, despite Minnesota having only five selections this month, the 2023 NFL Draft looks like one of the more interesting ones for the Vikings in recent memory. We should have solid answers to all these questions by the time it wraps up a few weekends from now.
OBJ Won’t Be Joining the Vikings
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.