Another Stab At The Minnesota Vikings Starters

The Minnesota Vikings entered training camp with only a few unsettled positions. Right guard was the most open and most contested position. The team’s first two picks in the 2022 NFL Draft was a safety (Lewis Cine) and a cornerback (Andrew Booth Jr.). That immediately created questions, if not competition, at those positions. Things have been so settled across the front lines that the most interesting competition was/is probably the one for backup quarterback. It’s been easy to project the 2022 starters. After three weeks of practices and a preseason game, it’s even easier.

Offense

QB	Kirk Cousins
RB	Dalvin Cook
FB	C.J. Ham
WR	Justin Jefferson
WR	Adam Thielen
TE	Irv Smith Jr.
LT	Christian Darrisaw
LG	Ezra Cleveland
C	Garrett Bradbury
RG	Ed Ingram
RT	Brian O’Neill

When he was selected in the second round, it felt inevitable that Ed Ingram would be the starting right guard for the Vikings. Only modest free agent additions Jesse Davis and Chris Reed stood in his way. Davis got nearly all of the first string snaps in the offseason and during the first couple weeks of training camp. As Davis continued to trot out with the starters most observers started cementing his status as one. Right guard had become Davis’ job to lose. He was sure to lose it. Those observers seemed to ignore that Ingram’s the better, more talented player. All Ingram needed was the extended opportunity to prove it. That opportunity came against the Las Vegas Raiders in Preseason Game #1. He played with the 2s and against Raiders backups. It didn’t matter. Ingram was great. He was dominant. Perhaps it’s due to a decade of disappointing offensive line play but his performance in his first game action was a revelation. It’s been damn near a decade since anyone around the Vikings had seen such potential and performance from an interior offensive lineman’s debut. Ed Ingram is the Vikings right guard moving forward. 

Defense

DE	Dalvin Tomlinson
NT	Harrison Phillips
DE	Armon Watts
OLB	Danielle Hunter
ILB	Eric Kendricks
ILB	Jordan Hicks
OLB	Za’Darius Smith
CB	Patrick Peterson
CB	Cam Dantzler
NB	Chandon Sullivan
S	Harrison Smith
S	Lewis Cine

The Vikings safety situation is interesting. I have rookie Lewis Cine listed here but the position may be more of a trio than a duo. Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, and Cine. We may be seeing all three on the field often. Cine is so fast and explosive that he should eventually find his way into the base defense. 

As for cornerback, Patrick Peterson and Cam Dantzler feel fairly set as the starters on the outside. Rookie Andrew Booth Jr. is too talented to keep on the bench. Can he play nickel? I hope so. I like a corner trio of Peterson, Dantzler, and Booth better than Peterson, Dantzler, and Chandon Sullivan. 

The Vikings front seven is set. 

Special Teams

K	Greg Joseph
P	Ryan Wright
LS	Andrew DePaola
KR	Kene Nwangwu
PR	Jalen Nailor

Punt returner is the biggest special teams question. I have rookie Jalen Nailor taking it but Ihmir Smith-Marsette is probably holding it now.