4 Vikings Questions with Training Camp Under 4 Weeks Away
On Wednesday, training camp report dates were released for each team across the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings will see their rookies report to camp on July 23rd while the veterans will report two days later on July 25th. As a result, the official start of training camp is under four weeks away. With camp quickly approaching, here are four Vikings questions that should be answered throughout camp and the preseason.
Will the Kwesi Draft Picks Step Up?
This may be the most pressing question of the summer. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been in charge of the Minnesota Vikings for two drafts now, and of the 10 selections made in 2022, only Ed Ingram established a consistent starting role with the team during his rookie season. We now have 16 Kwesi draft selections on the team, and with a number of veterans being released or traded this offseason, the youngsters will have to step up in 2023.
Brian Asamoah made strides defensively last season, earning a progressively larger role at linebacker as the year went on, but now with Eric Kendricks on the Los Angeles Chargers, there is an opening in the starting lineup. Likewise, the Vikings have to replace all of Cameron Dantzler, Patrick Peterson, Duke Shelley, and Chandon Sullivan at cornerback, opening up starting spots that can be taken by any of Mekhi Blackmon, Andrew Booth Jr., Akayleb Evans, or Jay Ward.
Who Wins the WR2 Battle?
The Minnesota Vikings haven’t had a true starting wide receiver battle since Justin Jefferson joined the team back in 2020, and even before then, there wasn’t much of a question with both Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen manning the starting spots on a full-time basis from 2017-19.
Now, with Thielen playing for the Carolina Panthers in 2023, the Vikings have a true WR2 battle between veteran K.J. Osborn and 2023 first-round pick Jordan Addison. Addison was a star for Pittsburgh, largely out of the slot, before transferring to USC in 2022. In all, he put together 219 receptions, 3134 yards, and 29 TDs over the course of three seasons. Meanwhile, Osborn has been a steady producer for the Vikings behind Jefferson and Thielen during each of the past two seasons, surpassing 50 receptions and 650 yards in both 2021 and 2022.
Can Brian Flores Turn the Defense Around?
The Minnesota Vikings ranked near the bottom of the NFL in a number (almost all) of defensive categories during the 2022 season, and as a result, out went defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, who is being replaced by Brian Flores for the 2023 season.
The hope is that, with Flores at the helm, the Vikings will turn what was a lethargic, prevent defense in 2022 into an aggressive, high-flying unit this upcoming fall. Jordan Hicks and Harrison Smith each recorded career-lows in blitzes last season, and with Flores’ Miami Dolphins defenses ranking second in blitz percentage during both 2020 and 2021, Minnesota is planning on rejuvenating both players while integrating Asamoah and Lewis Cine into bigger roles with the team.
What Does the Vikings Running Game Look Like?
Another massive question in Minnesota, and the final on today’s list, comes out of their backfield. With Dalvin Cook no longer around, the team’s leading rusher since the 2018 season, they now rely on a backfield that contains Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, and DeWayne McBride.
With 303 touches on offense suddenly up for grabs, how will the Vikings backfield sort itself out this season? Is Mattison capable of being a bell cow, and more importantly, do the Vikings trust him to do so? Or will this season see the backfield be more of a committee than the past few years have been?
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. 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.