7 Vikings That Must Be Great in 2023
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings begin their preseason schedule tonight against the Seattle Seahawks. It is a meaningless game in terms of the regular season standings, but it could go a long ways towards helping determine the final roster.
The Vikings are coming off a very strong 2022 season in which they went 13-4 and won the NFC North division. In order to repeat that success in 2023, there are a number of Vikings that must be great during this campaign. Obviously, stars like Kirk Cousins, Danielle Hunter, and Justin Jefferson are always expected to be great, so we won’t be discussing them today, but here are seven of those Vikings who fit the criteria for the 2023 season.
1. CB Byron Murphy
The Vikings saw a mass-exodus at the cornerback position this past offseason. Of course, many of the departures were warranted, considering Minnesota allowed the second-most passing yards in the entire NFL last season.
However, the only veteran with extended starting experience on this roster is Byron Murphy. The new Vikings CB can play either in the slot or on the boundary, and he will be an underrated contributor against the run.
The big question with Murphy is health. He missed the final eight games of the 2022 season with a back injury, which could be a concern throughout the year. Behind Murphy, the Vikings have very little veteran talent in their secondary, so they need their CB1 to remain on the field.
2. OLB Marcus Davenport
Marcus Davenport was another free agent signing by the Vikings this spring, and it came in the direct aftermath of Za’Darius Smith’s request to leave the team.
Eventually, Smith would be traded, and now, Davenport is set to replace his 10-sack production. Playing opposite Danielle Hunter will certainly help, but the Vikings need their new pass-rusher to be effective this year if they want to improve on the defensive side of the ball.
Last year, Davenport recorded just half a sack, but this strikingly low total hid the fact that he also pressured opposing quarterbacks 34 times in his final year with the Saints. In a Brian Flores defense that has a propensity for blitzing on a regular basis, his sack numbers will hopefully skyrocket.
3. RG Ed Ingram
Ed Ingram was the only rookie to start all 17 games for the Vikings in 2022, but he certainly went through his fair share of growing pains. This is to be expected from a young offensive lineman, but in order to preserve the health of 35-year-old QB Kirk Cousins, the Vikings need him to be much better this season. During 2022, Ingram allowed 58 pressures and was blamed for 11 sacks.
4. RB Alexander Mattison
Dalvin Cook was released by the Vikings this offseason, thus opening the door for Alexander Mattison to become the Vikings starting running back. The expectation should be that Minnesota implements more of a rushing attack this year than they did in 2022 (they tied for the fifth-fewest carries in the NFL).
In order for this to happen, Mattison needs to be effective. He has averaged fewer than four yards per carry in each of the past two seasons, but especially in 2022, he simply didn’t get enough touches to build any momentum. Hopefully, with a heavier touch load, the new RB1 finds a groove this year.
5. WR Jordan Addison
Expectations are always high for a first-round pick, but especially for a Vikings team that didn’t get to see much of Lewis Cine last season, they need this first-rounder to hit. Obviously, Cine’s story is far from over, but it would be nice to see a rookie contribute in a big way this year.
Other than that, it would be very nice to have another Adam Thielen-type receiver that can take some pressure off of Justin Jefferson in the passing game. Jefferson can pile up receptions and yardage in the open field, but Thielen was a truly magnificent security blanket in the red zone. Minnesota no longer has that luxury, but with Addison’s route-running skills and elusive nature, there is a decent chance that he can fill that void almost immediately.
6. LB Jordan Hicks
Jordan Hicks spent the 2022 season with the Vikings, and while he wasn’t bad by any means, it seems like he was a bit misused in Ed Donatell’s scheme. He recorded a career-low in blitzes last year, but again, Flores’ scheme should make sure he gets back to being a player who can mix it up in the trenches with the big guys.
Seeing as Eric Kendricks was another cap casualty this spring, this leaves Hicks as the veteran in the LB room. He needs to show out on the field this season and be a leader for the young guys in the locker room.
7. K Greg Joseph
Last year, Greg Joseph was terrific in clutch moments— but not really anywhere else. He missed a league-high six extra-point attempts, and he was a pedestrian 4-for-10 from 50+ yards away.
Shockingly, none of these misses ever mattered. The Vikings still went 11-0 in one-possession games, and Joseph nailed five game-winners throughout the regular season.
In order to have a semblance of the same sucess as 2022, the Vikings cannot afford to leave these kinds of points on the board. Repeating the same record in one-possession games is unlikely, so Joseph needs to be sharp this year. Otherwise, Minnesota may look to give rookie UDFA Jack Podlesny a shot at the position.
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.