8 Vikings Players Who Could Start in 2023 That Did Not in 2022
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings appear poised to build on a 13-win season with a rookie head coach while hoping to stave off any major regressive behavior.
The club reached the postseason in Year One with head coach Kevin O’Connell and promptly lost at home to the New York Giants. That outcome was wildly undesirable, so general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will reevaluate the roster as early as now and trudge forward this offseason.
8 Vikings Players Who Could Start in 2023 That Did Not in 2022
And when he does, the Vikings could end up with a handful of starters in 2023 that did not top the depth chart in 2022. These are those men listed in alphabetical order.
Disclaimer: These players are not guaranteed to start in September, but it would not be unheard of if they do.
1. Brian Asamoah (LB)
Of the eight men on the list, this one is nearly a lock for fruition.
Asamoah shined in limited playing time while the other off-ball linebackers, well, did not. Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks didn’t play poorly in 2022, but they didn’t possess the freakish physical toolkit of Asamoah.
Hicks will likely not return to the 2023 Vikings — the jury is still out on Kendricks — nearly assuring Asamoah a starting job within Minnesota’s defense.
2. Andrew Booth (CB)
The pipe dream here is that Booth has a fabulous summer and seizes the CB1 job by the throat — like his scouting report claimed he’d do during last year’s draft lead-up.
Injuries plagued Booth in 2022 — that was the one major concern about him heading into the draft — but that doesn’t mean his future is doomed.
The Vikings have Booth, Cameron Dantzler, and Akayleb Evans under contract for CBs in 2023. One, some, or all must contribute in 2023 if the Vikings defense is to be worth a damn. Booth may start if his summer is peachy.
3. Ty Chandler (RB)
Perhaps leading a cliche “running back by committee,” Minnesota probably drafted Chandler for a reason in 2022.
Dalvin Cook’s status with the team is wholly uncertain as the 27-year-old’s cap hit is a ginormous $14 million in 2023. He could be traded or outright released.
That would nominate Chandler for some type of meaningful duty next season, and that might even be the RB1 in a committee approach.
4. Lewis Cine (S)
Adofo-Mensah’s first-ever draft pick broke his leg in London four months ago, and that was a wrap on his rookie voyage.
Truth be told, Cine didn’t play much before the injury, but there were indicators that he was nearing acclimation to Minnesota’s defense. Well, assuming his injury recovery goes swimmingly, Cine has to start soon. Otherwise, the Vikings will look foolish for trading out of the No. 12 pick last year and selecting Cine with the fruit of the trade.
5. Akayleb Evans (CB)
Evans was preferred by the Vikings coaching staff over Andrew Booth even before Booth was injured.
But then Evans succumbed to back-to-back concussions, which is utterly spooky. Ideally, he’ll resurge in 2023 with his fancy new supportive helmet and neck brace. Evans played well when called upon, and he + Booth might duke it out this summer for a starting CB job.
6. James Lynch (DL)
Jonathan Bullard played at “Lynch’s spot” in 2022 and was just a placeholder-type defensive tackle.
Lynch fired up a modest 65.0 Pro Football Focus grade in limited playing time, an adept run-stopper and developing pass rusher. Bullard shouldn’t be a daunting player to leapfrog on a depth chart, so keep an eye on Lynch if the Vikings sign or draft no free-agent DTs.
7. Alexander Mattison (RB)
If the Vikings can retain Mattison at an affordable pricetag, he’ll be the RB1 in the upcoming RB-by-committee. He may be the one gateway to RB continuity in 2023.
Plus, after Minnesota’s nasty loss to the Giants in the postseason, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweeted, “[Kirk] Cousins mentioned two pending free agents that he feels close to: center Garrett Bradbury and tailback Alexander Mattison.”
Cousins likes Mattison and what the QB1 says should, in theory, matter to a degree.
8. Khyiris Tonga (DL)
Dalvin Tomlinson will likely return to the Vikings — he’s already on the books for a $7.5 million cap hit — but if he does not, it could be Tonga Time.
Along with Duke Shelley, Tonga was an unsung defensive surprise for the 2022 Vikings. He scored a 77.9 grade via PFF and truly deserves more playing time — somewhere.
That somewhere could be a starting DT for the 2023 Vikings if Tomlinson bolts.
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,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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