3 Vikings Needing Strong Bouncebacks in October and Beyond

Dustin Baker |

Oct 7, 2023

Dec 5, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A couple of Minnesota Vikings fans having fun in the first half against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings have four games in the books for the 2023 season, firing up a 1-3 record and hoping to continue a rebound against the Kansas City Chiefs, a daunting task, this weekend.

Minnesota is a 3.5-point underdog to knock off the Super Bowl champions.

3 Vikings Needing Strong Bouncebacks in October and Beyond

And while the entire team can improve on the whole — a 1-3 record isn’t good — three players particularly need a productive second quarter of the 2023 season.

These are those men in alphabetical order.

1. Dean Lowry (DL)

Sep 14, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Dean Lowry (94) and defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (97) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.

Lowry’s 2023 snap count, by week:

TB: 46
at PHI: 39
LAC: 31
at CAR: 22

The man appears to be waltzing out of the defensive gameplan, so perhaps he won’t have the chance to right the ship. In four games, Lowry has logged a 40.5 Pro Football Focus grade and just 8 total tackles.

He hasn’t set the world on fire, and a rookie like Jaquelin Roy could soon take over his snaps.

So far, the free-agent addition of Lowry has been forgettable.

2. Byron Murphy (CB)

Sep 14, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (7) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.

Byron Murphy is forced to cover wide receivers, almost by himself, when the Vikings send their blitz packages. That is bound to affect a man’s performance, as a quarterback like Justin Herbert can simply get rid of the ball fast to a usually-open pass-catcher like Keenan Allen.

Still, Murphy has a 48.3 PFF mark, ranking 94th of 107 qualifying CBs. Not ideal. He also has a 94.7 passer-rating-against to his name, which isn’t horrendous but nothing to brag about.

The man is still new to Brian Flores’ system and might need more time to acclimate.

3. K.J. Osborn (WR)

Oct 1, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Sam Franklin Jr. (42) intercepts a throw meant for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn (17) during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports.

Osborn has found the endzone twice in four games, so he’s not utterly underperforming or anything of the sort. The 26-year-old is on pace for about 500 yards receiving and 9 touchdowns or so, a rather Osbornian statline.

However, before the Vikings selected Jordan Addison in the 2023 NFL Draft, Osborn was theorized as a WR2, and with four weeks out of the way in 2023, Osborn very much looks like a WR3, not a WR2.

His 50.9 Pro Football Focus grade ranks 106th of 113 qualifying WRs, not necessarily a compliment. Because Addison is a rookie, he’ll have some quiet games here and there, and Osborn must roar during those situations.

Osborn is a free agent in five months, meaning the next 13 games may be his swan song in Minnesota.

Also Read:
The Vikings Have One X-Factor Player vs. Chiefs

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.