The Vikings Could Look Very Different in Week 14
The Minnesota Vikings have been on a rollercoaster ride throughout the 2023 regular season.
After a 1-4 start, they rattled off five consecutive wins, and now, they’ve lost two straight games, sitting right in the middle of the league at 6-6. Heading into their Week 14 game, though, they could be a much different team when their matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders kicks off. Here is a look at a few changes that could be coming to the team.
WR Justin Jefferson
The Vikings made the decision to activate Justin Jefferson from IR last Tuesday, and now, they are set to have their star receiver in the lineup for their Week 14 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jefferson has missed seven consecutive games because of a hamstring injury, but somehow, Minnesota has navigated the loss to the tune of a 5-2 record during those games. Now, with the Vikings needing another hot stretch to conclude their season and get into the playoffs, they have their star back in the mix.
Prior to the injury, Jefferson was on an absolute tear to begin the season. Over five games, he caught 36 passes for 571 yards and 3 TDs despite only having 3 receptions for 28 yards in Week 5 against the Chiefs before getting hurt.
CB Akayleb Evans
Not only is Jefferson set to return, but CB Akayleb Evans could be back with the Vikings defense this upcoming Sunday. Evans has missed the past two games because of a strained calf, and in his place, rookie Mekhi Blackmon has gotten the majority of the snaps alongside Byron Murphy.
Evans has been a key part of Minnesota’s success defensively this season, and he has always been a big social media presence in the Vikings community. Last week, he again took to social media and showed excitement for getting back onto the field, tweeting, “I can’t wait to get back on that football field.”
Seeing as the Vikings have a tough matchup against a WR group that includes players like Davante Adams and Jakobi Myers as well as TE Michael Mayer, it will be very beneficial for Minnesota to get their starting CB back on the field.
A QB Change?
Following the Vikings’ Week 12 loss to the Chicago Bears, Kevin O’Connell had a chance to express confidence in Josh Dobbs despite his 4-interception performance. Instead, the Vikings head coach made it very clear that the team would be exploring options at the position.
Kevin Seifert of ESPN also tweeted on Monday, “Vikings will have a post-bye practice today. Atop the agenda is determining a starting QB for Sunday’s game in Las Vegas. Kevin O’Connell admitted last week he would consider alternatives to Josh Dobbs, i.e. Nick Mullens or Jaren Hall. Change is possible but not at all certain.”
It seems that we should know who will be the starting QB for the Vikings in Week 14 rather soon.
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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.