The Minnesota Vikings 2023 season is in the books. It was a frustrating season. Injuries and turnovers can do that. The Vikings had an excess of both.
The Vikings finished with a 7-10 record.
Start: 1-4
Middle: 5-0
Finish: 1-6
14 of the 17 games were decided by a single score. If the Vikings had managed to avoid a handful of their avoidable turnovers, they are a playoff team. As it was, they didn’t and they aren’t. The 2023 Minnesota Vikings were a 7-10 team. That put them in a tie with the Chicago Bears for last in the NFC North. Tie-breakers put the Vikings in third. That finish gives them their schedule for next year.
2024 Opponents:
Home (9): Detroit, Green Bay, Chicago, San Francisco, Arizona, Houston, Indianapolis, Atlanta, New York Jets
Away (8): Detroit, Green Bay, Chicago, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle, Jacksonville, Tennessee, New York Giants
The schedule will show that the Vikings have nine home games. In reality, they will only have eight home games. One of the games will be played at Tottenham Hotspur. For the second time in three season the Vikings will be traveling to London.
The Vikings will have the 11th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
First Round Order
1. Chicago Bears
2. Washington Commanders
3. New England Patriots
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. New York Giants
7. Tennessee Titans
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears
10. New York Jets
11. Minnesota Vikings
12. Denver Broncos
13. Las Vegas Raiders
14. New Orleans Saints
15. Indianapolis Colts
16. Seattle Seahawks
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
18. Cincinnati Bengals
The Vikings 2024 Draft Picks:
First Round (11th)
Second Round (42nd)
Fourth Round (from Detroit)
Fourth Round
Fifth Round (from Kansas City)
Fifth Round (from Cleveland)
Sixth Round (from Jacksonville)
Sixth Round (from Las Vegas)
Seventh Round (from Arizona)
The Vikings are projected to have just under 40,000,000 in salary cap space. They’ll need a good chunk of that to handle the priority of the offseason: sign Justin Jefferson to the contract extension that he’s earned and deserves. After that, it’s their free agents. They have a sizable list of players scheduled to be free agents but only a few are priority re-signings.
Kirk Cousins, QB
Danielle Hunter, OLB
Marcus Davenport, OLB
Joshua Dobbs, QB
Jordan Hicks, LB
Oli Udoh, OT
Chris Reed, G
Jonathan Bullard, DL
Brandon Powell, WR
Johnny Mundt, TE
Nick Muse, TE
Austin Schlottman, C
D.J. Wonnum, OLB
Cam Akers, RB
James Lynch, DL
Troy Dye, LB
Blake Brandel, G
Dalton Risner, G
K.J. Osborn, WR
Khyiris Tonga, DL
Theo Jackson, S
David Quessenberry, OT
T.J. Smith, DL
As with everything in the NFL, it starts with the quarterback. The Vikings have a big decision to make this offseason. Re-sign Kirk Cousins or go all in with a rookie quarterback? That will be the offseason’s biggest question until it’s answered. The Vikings must make their decision on Cousins by early March. After Jefferson’s contract and possibly Cousins’ contract, is there enough left over for a hefty deal for Danielle Hunter? He turns 30 in October but he’s coming off the best season of his great career. Those are the most high profile decisions in front of the Vikings decision-makers. Of the remaining free agents, a quick look finds the following as hopeful re-signings:
Dalton Risner
D.J. Wonnum
James Lynch
Troy Dye
Johnny Mundt
Dalton Risner is the priority here but D.J. Wonnum and James Lynch could be key re-signings. Wonnum ended the season on injured reserve. Before the Week 16 injury, he was finally becoming a nice edge compliment to Hunter. His ceiling might not be that of a high-end pass rusher but he’s a versatile defender and showed double-digit sack potential. His late-season injury complicates his free agency. Lynch spent the season on injured reserve after suffering a torn ACL in training camp. I feel that the Vikings defensive coaches had hopes for Lynch this season. One of the team’s weaknesses this season was an interior pass rushing presence. Lynch has the potential to provide that. As with Wonnum, his injury complicates his free agency. Perhaps a modest, one-year, prove-it-deal would be enough to keep both in Minnesota. Troy Dye is a key special teams player and provides solid linebacker depth. Johnny Mundt was and would be the third tight end. He proved on Sunday that he can make an impact when needed. K.J. Osborn would be on the re-sign list but I feel that he might look for bigger opportunities elsewhere.
One of the first moves of each NFL team’s offseason is the signing of practice squad/young players to Reserve/Future Contracts. Earlier this week, the Vikings signed the following practice squad players to those contracts.
Trishton Jackson, WR
N’Keal Harry, WR
Dewayne McBride, RB
Joejuan Williams, CB
Jaylinn Williams, CB
Abraham Beauplan, LB
Coy Cronk, OT
Henry Byrd, G
Tyrese Robinson, G
Thayer Thomas, WR
Myles Gaskin, RB
The Minnesota Vikings offseason is here.
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