3 Things to Love about the Vikings On Valentine’s Day
Ted Schwerzler
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As a Minnesota Vikings fan, you certainly could find yourself coveting things about the organization all year long. On Valentine’s Day, though, and coming off an impressive 13-win season, it’s worth highlighting a few things to love.
Although there may be plenty of smoke and mirrors tied to the Minnesota Vikings record from last season, there is no denying that it was among the best in recent history. Yes, the defense was terrible, but Ed Donatell is gone, and the hope would be that Brian Flores can right the ship. Kevin O’Connell looked the part of a strong leader in his first go-round, and there is plenty for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to build around.
3 Things to Love about the Vikings On Valentine’s Day
For the purpose of Valentine’s Day love, here are three separate things to truly be enamored with when it comes to the 2023 Vikings:
Justin Jefferson
No, he is not yet here to stay, but there is no good reason why Minnesota won’t make that a reality. Jefferson was a first-round pick by Minnesota, and since he stepped on the field, he immediately became one of the best wide receivers in the whole league. Last season we saw Jefferson nearly chase down Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving yardage record, and he took down plenty of milestones once set by Vikings greats Cris Carter and Randy Moss along the way.
This offseason, the Vikings can look into extending Jefferson beyond his rookie contract, and the expectation should be that he’ll become the highest-paid wideout in the sport. We will see something truly extraordinary when the dollars shake out, which is a direct reflection of his youth and talent. Having Jefferson in a Vikings uniform for years to come is something that everyone can get behind.
Brian Asamoah
We didn’t see much production from the Vikings 2022 draft class. Lewis Cine played just two defensive snaps, and both of the cornerbacks taken succumbed to injury at one point. It was Asamoah in the middle rounds that seemed like a gem, and he’s done nothing to stop that train since.
Once Flores gets in the building and begins to work with the talented linebacker, there is no telling what Asamoah could turn into. He has looked the part of a speedster that can close angles and make tackles. Minnesota needs help in the linebacker department with Eric Kendricks being uncertain to return and Jordan Hicks being a free agent. It would not be a shock to see Asamoah have a very successful and long career with Minnesota.
Brian Flores
Speaking of Flores, his hire was an absolute home run. There was nothing to dislike about O’Connell as the head coach in year one, and moving on from Mike Zimmer’s dated philosophies immediately bore fruit. The problem is that an aging defense continued to do everything it could to be an issue, and Donatell never adjusted.
The Vikings got one of their two preferred hires, and they lured Flores away from a Denver Broncos team going through their own turnover. Flores is seen as one of the best defensive minds across the game, and his influence on the defense should immediately help to make Minnesota better. The personnel still needs some serious adjustments, but if there is someone who will find a way to work with what he has, Flores certainly could be it.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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