Vikings Net Impressive Roster Ranking from ESPN

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Jun 12, 2023
Oct 30, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates his catch against the Arizona Cardinals in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.

On Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings begin mandatory minicamp, an annual stepping stone to determine the team’s 53-man roster for the regular season.

Vikings Net Impressive Roster Ranking from ESPN

And heading into head coach Kevin O’Connell’s second season with the club, the Vikings evidently have the NFL’s 13th-best roster for the future, per its Top 5 players and ESPN’s Seth Walder.

Net Impressive Roster
Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) after scoring a touchdown during the second half of the NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports.

ESPN tabbed every team’s five best players and then ranked the league accordingly. These players were evaluated as Minnesota’s finest fivesome at the moment:

  • QB Kirk Cousins
  • WR Justin Jefferson
  • OLB Danielle Hunter
  • OT Christian Darrisaw
  • TE T.J. Hockenson

Calling those men the Vikings ‘core,’ Walder elaborated, “If you can’t have an elite quarterback, the next-best thing is an elite wide receiver. There’s perhaps no one better at the position than Jefferson, and he’s the primary reason the Vikings are in this spot.”

Hendon Hooker Already
Sep 19, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw (71) prepares to block against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.

The Vikings were sandwiched in Walder’s rankings between the Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 12) and Seattle Seahawks (No. 14). The Kansas City Chiefs (No. 1) and Cincinnati Bengals (No. 2) headlined the analysis, with the Atlanta Falcons (No. 31) and Arizona Cardinals (No. 32) in the catacomb.

The ranking will surprise some because a faction of NFL heads believe the Vikings are actively tearing down their roster. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah parted ways with Adam Thielen, Eric Kendricks, Patrick Peterson, and Dalvin Cook, among others, this offseason, and folks think that insinuates a full rebuild. In reality, Adofo-Mensah is actionizing his ‘competitive rebuild’ philosophy, shedding bloated contracts to become more nimble financially in the future. The young executive has pledged to remain competitive now while setting himself up for 2024 and beyond.

Lottery Ticket QB
Dec 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks on before the game against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.

Interestingly. all of the core Vikings players defined by Walder need a contract extension. Cousins turns 35 in August and isn’t committed to the franchise after 2023. Hunter is scheduled to earn $5.5 million in ‘new’ contract money this year, meaning he wants a fresh extension. And Jefferson, Hockenson, and Darrisaw are living on rookie deals.

Minnesota is forecasted to win 8.5 games in 2023, a vast drop-off from the 13-4 season last year. NFL pundits tend to surmise that the Vikings ‘lucked out’ most of the time and that the 13-win season was a total mirage. Year Two of the O’Connell era will determine if the fraudulent or mirage talk was worthwhile.

early expectations
Dec 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell looks on during the third quarter against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.

The Vikings haven’t won back-to-back NFC North titles in 14 years.

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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 Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.

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