Dalvin Cook
How good are the 2022 Minnesota Vikings at a birdseye national view? Well, they’re in the same hierarchy as the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins, according to betting odds before the NFL draft.
DraftKings sportsbook inserts the Vikings at “14th place” via expected wins for next season, sharing space directly beneath the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens, teams theorized to win 9.5 games. The Vikings, along with the Cardinals and Dolphins, are slated to post nine wins in 2022.
Minnesota showcases a new coach in 2022, firing Mike Zimmer when the 2021 regular season ended. Kevin O’Connell takes the reins, a lieutenant of Sean McVay and winner of Super Bowl LVI. For a few days, it seemed the Vikings might sign on for The Harbaugh Experience, interviewing Jim Harbaugh in February for the coaching vacancy but ultimately opting for new instead of retread with O’Connell.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”983939″ player=”26279″ title=”WATCH%203%20ideal%20Grady%20Jarrett%20trade%20landing%20spots%20this%20offseason” duration=”96″ description=”Players like Grady Jarrett don’t become available every day, or even every offseason. Sure, the recent player movement within the NFL has been a bit more hectic, with stars changing teams seemingly every week, but that isn’t the norm. We’ve seen everything from top quarterbacks, elite receivers and stud pass-rushers change teams, but the offseason is far from over.As franchises continue filling needs as we approach the draft, there are certain to be a few coaches who feel they still need some help getting after the quarterback.” uploaddate=”2022-03-31″ thumbnailurl=”undefined” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/983916/983916.m3u8″ width=”16″ height=”9″]
The Vikings resisted the temptation to nuke the depth chart, choosing not to rebuild but contend in 2022, a philosophy embraced by most, yet not everyone. Minnesota had a prime opportunity to rebuild as fresh faces trotted onto the scene, but the allure of the existing roster was too enticing to start over.
So, the Vikings are “running it back,” a tendency preached for about seven consecutive seasons. In 2015, led by Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings reached the postseason, almost won a playoff game, and constructed a roster each offseason with the goal to win it all ever since.
The 2022 offseason is no different — the general manager and head coach just have different names.
Last season, the Vikings ranked 17th in the NFL for offensive efficiency via EPA/Play, a low mark mostly a product of vanilla playcalling and trashy offensive line protection. After all, the quarterback, Kirk Cousins, tossed 4,221 passing yards and 33 touchdowns with virtually no garbage time — statistics that do not grow on trees. Few quarterbacks can do that. Therefore, under the playcalling tutelage of O’Connell, the working theory is the product should thrive.
On defense, Minnesota surprisingly ranked 12th in defensive EPA/play. However, the team set the NFL record for points allowed in the final two minutes of the 2nd Quarter — a wretched mark because the NFL has existed for decades.
Overall, O’Connell is tasked with doing what Mike Zimmer could not — coaching the team to a winning record and playoff placement. The roster is essentially the same, plus Za’Darius Smith, Harrison Phillips, and Jordan Hicks for notable defensive playmakers.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills are the top teams as of early April from oddsmakers’ prognoses. They’re predicted to win 11.5 games.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).