Squad, Draft and goals for the season

At the dawn of the 2022 season, We Sport looks back on the situation of the 32 NFL franchises. Today, focus on the Minnesota Vikings, looking to rebound after a missed season.

The balance sheet of Minnesota Vikings last season

An average attack, a disappointing defense and a new season without playoffs for the Vikings. Pass enough “killers” at the end of the meeting, the teammates of Kirk Cousins ​​let slip too many victories to hope to find the playoffs, which they have not known since 2019. A new poor performance for a franchise which nevertheless seemed armed to join the fight for a ticket in Wild Cards, and a disappointment that ultimately cost Mike Zimmer his job. Minnesota is thirsty for revenge, and will quickly want to forget this failed new season.

[8-9]no playoffs

The movements of the off-season

To replace Mike Zimmer – and GM Rick Spielman, Minnesota has bet on the pair Kevin O’Connell / Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. And for their first off-season, they mainly bet on replacements position for position. Party in Dallas, Anthony Barr will be replaced by Jordan Hicks, while Harrison Philipps will take the place of Michael Pierce on the defensive line. The draft also served this purpose, with the selection of Lewis Cine to make Xavier Woods forget.

For the rest, the Vikings have mainly focused on two areas: the offensive line and the defense against the pass. In the first sector, Jesse Davis and rookie Ed Ingram could both be starters from the start of the season. In the second sector, the young Andrew Booth Jr. made a strong impression during the training campsand could evolve alongside Patrick Peterson, extended during the off-season, and rookie Chandon Sullivan, brought to evolve as nickel back. We will also highlight the arrival of Za’Darius Smith, who will do the greatest good to a pass rush lacking in efficiency.

Major arrivals: OL Jesse Davis (Dolphins), LB Jordan Hicks (Cardinals), DL Harrison Philipps (Bills), LB Za’Darius Smith (Packers), CB Chandon Sullivan (Packers)

Notable departures: LB Anthony Barr (Cowboys), OF Everson Griffen (—), DT Michael Pierce (Ravens), DT Sheldon Richardson (—), S Xavier Woods (Panthers)

Extensions: QB Kirk Cousins, CB Patrick Peterson

Draft* : S Lewis Cine (Georgia), CB Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson), AND Ed Ingram (LSU), LB Brian Asamoah (Oklahoma)

* Only the players selected during the first two days are mentioned.

The number of Minnesota Vikings 2022/2023

Around Kirk Cousins, one of the x factors of the success of the Vikings this year, the skills positions are quite provided in Minnesota. Among the runners, Dalvin Cook has just completed a third season with more than 1,000 yards on the ground and will be supported by Alexander Mattison. The receiving corps is also very strong with Justin Jefferson at the head of the gondola, perhaps the best player in the league at his position, but also Adam Thielen, effective in red zone. On the other hand, the tight-end position lacks density, with the young Irv Smith Jr. as the only real option; same observation on the offensive line, where despite the presence of solid players on the left side (Darrisaw, Cleveland), the whole remains fairly average.

On the other side of the field, Minneapolis will rely on a front seven quality. If the defensive line holds up, it is above all the second curtain that impresses, with the Jordan Hicks/Eric Kendricks duo inside, plus Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter, enough to build a pass rush very solid which could ride on its efficiency of last year (2^e in the NFL). Air defense brings more uncertainties, and will depend on two factors: the leadership of Patrick Peterson and Harrison Smith, as well as the progression of the youngsters (Dantzler & Booth Jr.).

Minnesota Vikings : Ambitions and ranking

After three years away from the playoffs, the Vikings will necessarily aim for a qualification for the postseason. With a fairly large roster on both sides of the field and several stars in each squad, Minnesota must play the leading roles in its division, especially since the Bears and Lions clearly seem a tone below. By taking advantage of a fairly affordable schedule and this balance of power, Kevin O’Connell’s players would suffer another setback if they failed to reach the Wild Cards. Playing the lead role and going to tease the Packers might be too much, but the Vikings have to be among the playoff contenders in the NFC.

Player to watch: Kirk Cousins

It’s a catchphrase almost every season, but is Kirk Cousins ​​really the man for the job in Minnesota? Author of good season since his arrival in Minneapolis, he does not however manage to carry his team to allow him to cross a threshold. Very well surrounded, with excellent receivers and a more than correct ground game, he will have to raise his level if the Vikings want to play the leading roles in the NFC North and, therefore, clinch a place in the playoffs.

The calendar of Minnesota Vikings in 2022

Feature image credit: Vikings.com