Pro Football Focus writers Dalton Wasserman and Jim Wyman went roster by roster and ranked them from 1-32. The Minnesota Vikings found themselves ranked 16th. They were ranked second-best in the NFC North, just behind the Detroit Lions at 13th. Other notable teams are also ranked directly in front of the Vikings. The Jacksonville Jaguars were ranked 15th, while the Cleveland Browns were 14th.
While the article discusses the Vikings regressing from their anomaly of a 2022 season, they still expect moderate success for the 2023 season. They labeled the passing game and the addition of rookie pass-catcher Jordan Addison as Minnesota’s greatest strength. And who could blame them? Jefferson excelled as a number-one option as he led the league in both receptions and receiving yards. While Adam Thielen is gone, replacing him with Jordan Addison makes this passing attack just as, if not more, dangerous. Add K.J. Osborn as a third, and this passing game has options in the shallow, intermediate, and deep areas.
Walterman and Wyman also discussed the defensive secondary as the glaring weakness heading into the year. Minnesota has tried to mitigate the impact this could have on the present and future of the unit. They drafted Mekhi Blackmon and brought in Byron Murphy, Jr. this off-season. However, the back end of the defense remains the question mark.
On paper, this seems like a roster that is due for regression. And in some ways, they are. It’s tough to win double-digit games in the NFL in back-to-back seasons. But if the Vikings have Justin Jefferson catching the football and an opportunistic defense under Flores, another double-digit win season should not be out of the realm of possibility.
