3 Veteran Vikings Who Could Crack the Starting Lineup in Week 1
The Minnesota Vikings could see a number of changes to their starting lineup in 2024.
Some of those changes could entail a few veterans stepping into bigger roles during the middle-to-latter portions of their NFL careers. Here is a look at three veteran Vikings (who have never played 50% of snaps in a single season) who could take on bigger roles in Minnesota this year.
TE Josh Oliver
Obviously, Josh Oliver’s role as TE1 to begin the season is dependent on a couple different scenarios playing out. T.J. Hockenson tore his ACL and MCL last December and is very likely to miss at least a few weeks to begin the season. If that is the case, Oliver’s snaps will be destined to increase at the start of the season.
Additionally, Oliver will have to beat out Johnny Mundt for the job. Mundt actually took on the majority of the receiving duties down the stretch of the 2023 campaign in Hockenson’s absence, which could spoil any plans for Oliver to take on the lead role if he is unable to outperform the former Ram in training camp.
WR Brandon Powell
The WR3 race is a very interesting one for the Vikings this year. Of course, K.J. Osborn is no longer in the mix after he signed with the New England Patriots in free agency. That leaves a pretty wide open battle for that third receiving role.
However, Brandon Powell should enter the summer as the favorite. The veteran essentially held that role throughout Justin Jefferson’s stint on injured reserve and even was the WR2 when Osborn left Minnesota’s Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons. After a career season in 2023, Powell should see another in 2024.
DT James Lynch
James Lynch’s injury during training camp last summer went a bit under the radar after the Vikings suffered a litany of injuries to key playmakers throughout the 2023 season. That shouldn’t overlook the fact that Lynch was a big rotational piece of Minnesota’s defensive line for three seasons from 2020-2022.
Now, the veteran is back in purple and looking to make a comeback in 2024. Of course, Jonathan Bullard and Harrison Phillips will be two of the three starters on the defensive line this fall, but Lynch absolutely should be in the mix for the third spot.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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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.