NFL
By Steve Rogers
It is September and that means it’s football season. It means it’s time for the Minnesota Vikings to begin their title defense as the reigning NFC North Champs. They had a busy off-season retooling the roster. They also changed some coaching by hiring Brian Flores to become the new Defensive Coordinator. Yes, there was a mass exodus of veteran leadership talent that left this off-season. Most notably we saw the end of wide receiver Adam Theilen as a Viking as well as the release of star running back Dalvin Cook but it is on the defensive side of the ball where you will find the most change-over. Linebacker Eric Kendricks leaving leaves a big void to fill. Look for second-year LB Brian Asamoah II to take a step or two toward being that guy.
The organization has taken an almost wholesale approach to getting younger. Eight rookies have made the 53-man roster. Of those three are undrafted free agents. Linebacker Andre Carter who signed the biggest UDFA contract of this 2023 class is already a fit for this Flores scheme. The player who might have had the best preseason in purple is LB Ivan Pace. He has been so impressive that he might even be pushing his way into a starting role by season’s end. The third is cornerback Najee Thompson. He may not see a lot of playing time at the CB position but he has dedicated himself to being a special teams specialist.
Speaking of rookies it’s time to highlight the Viking’s 2023 first-round draft pick wide receiver Jordan Addison. He has been on a different level since arriving at camp. He has come in and looked like a polished NFL route runner. Usually, there is an adjustment period transitioning from college to the pro level. That is not the case with Addison. Having to “Get up to speed” is often said when describing the process for rookies. That is not the case with Addison in fact I would venture to say he has looked faster than most of his new teammates. That speaks to his familiarity and comfort in understanding the playbook. Addison is my pick for winning Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The Vikings continue to retool and remain as competitive as possible. The Vikings are taking a clear approach to emphasize the passing game. The level of talent and the sheer amount of different skilled pass-catchers across this offense is going to be fun to watch. Kirk Cousins will have a field day as a field general moving this offense down the field. Justin Jefferson is still the top target without question. Teams still haven’t figured out a way to slow him down and now there are more threats to deal with too!
Tight end T.J. Hockenson finished last year with 914 yards and six touchdowns. Now with a full off-season to learn the offense and build a report with quarterback Kirk Cousins look for those numbers to climb this year. As well as the Vikings rewarding him with the largest TE contract ever. Hockenson is set to be a Pro Bowl talent for the foreseeable future here for the Vikings.
The Vikings went 13-4 last year and won the NFC North. There is no reason to think this year’s Vikings team can’t be as good. In fact, this Vikings team will likely be an improvement as a whole as far as on-the-field play is concerned. However, it may not look like that as far as the record. The Vikings face a tough schedule and 13 wins doesn’t seem realistic. The North won’t need 13 wins to take the division either. The Vikings will go 11-6. Which will be good enough to retain the NFC North crown.
