As a lead-up to the 2023 NFL draft, we've broken down the current depth chart of every NFL team and identified the biggest draft and team needs for the Minnesota Vikings.
You can find additional team-by-team draft needs articles and other draft content on our 2023 NFL Draft hub.
Who did the Vikings pick in the NFL Draft?
The Minnesota Vikings selected Jordan Addison (WR, USC) with the 23rd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Vikings added Mekhi Blackmon (CB, USC) with the 102nd pick.
Vikings Draft Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2023
- Cornerback
- Wide Receiver
- Linebacker
What Picks do the Minnesota Vikings have in 2023?
The Minnesota Vikings have five picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, including:
- Round 1 (23)
- Round 3 (87)
- Round 4 (119)
- Round 5 (158)
- Round 6 (211)
Minnesota Vikings Draft Capital Stats
Our Sharp Draft Value Rank is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.
This is based on two public models: performance delivered based on draft slot (the AV model created by Chase Stuart) and contractual earnings in non-rookie deals based upon draft slot (the OTC model created by Brad Spielberger and Jason Fitzgerald).
- Vikings Sharp Draft Value Rank: 30 of 32 teams
- Vikings AV Model Draft Value Rank: 29 of 32 teams
- Vikings OTC Model Draft Value Rank: 30 of 32 teams
Minnesota Vikings Draft Value vs Other Teams:
The Vikings' draft value is 38% lower than the league average of all 32 teams. 29 other teams have more draft value entering the 2023 NFL Draft.
Minnesota Vikings Draft Prediction:
The Vikings are predicted to draft Emmanuel Forbes (CB, Mississippi State) with their 1st-round pick (#23 overall) according to the most recent mock draft from Ryan McCrystal.
Another mock draft expert, Brendan Donahue, also has the Vikings predicted to draft Emmanuel Forbes (CB, Mississippi State) with their first-round pick according to his most recent mock draft.
Minnesota Vikings Strength of Schedule, 2023
The Minnesota Vikings have the ninth hardest NFL strength of schedule for the 2023 NFL season.
Minnesota Vikings Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the Minnesota Vikings, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
2022 Minnesota Vikings Offensive Rankings
Quarterback Depth Chart, Vikings:
- Kirk Cousins
- Nick Mullens
Minnesota won the most games (13) of any season since they acquired Kirk Cousins in 2018. Ironically, Cousins had one of his worst seasons from an efficiency stance.
Cousins had his lowest completion rate (65.9%) and touchdown rate (4.5%) since joining the Vikings while his 7.1 yards per pass attempt matched his low in Minnesota.
Even if it was a down season compared to prior years through an efficiency lens, Cousins still ended the season right above the fold for leaguewide standards.
He was 14th in expected points added per dropback (0.03) and 14th in success rate (45.4%).
Cousins enters 2023 under contract for just this season. His 2024 and 2025 years automatically void after restructuring his contract to open this offseason.
Picking 23rd in the first round does not give the Vikings much ammunition in selecting the future franchise starter, so the team has to leave the door open for either a short-term extension for Cousins, moving up in the draft, or hoping a Will Levis or Anthony Richardson fall below expectation if they are going to make a power move at the position via the draft.
The team retained Nick Mullens on a two-year contract after serving as the backup in 2022. Mullens appeared in four games, connecting on 21-of-25 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown.
Running Back Depth Chart, Vikings:
- Dalvin Cook
- Alexander Mattison
- Kene Nwangwu
- Ty Chandler
- C.J. Ham (FB)
Trade and potential release rumors have orbited Dalvin Cook this offseason.
Cook appeared in every game last season for the first time in his career, but his output did take a hit.
Cook averaged a career-low 4.4 yards per carry while his 69 rushing yards per game were his fewest in a season since 2018 when he was coming off an ACL injury. As a receiver, Cook averaged a career-low 2.3 receptions per game.
Cook really nosedived as the season wore on. From Weeks 11 through the Wild Card round, Cook had 134 carries and posted:
- 3.8 yards per carry (38th out of 44 backs with 50 or more carries over that span)
- -0.23 EPA per rush (43rd)
- 30.6% success rate (41st)
- 8.2% of carries for 10 or more yards (32nd)
- 24.6% of runs for no yardage gained (40th)
- 2.54 yards after contact per carry
To give Cook some benefit of the doubt here, the Minnesota offensive line was completely ravaged as the season pressed on.
Of those 134 carries, just eight of them came with all of Christian Darrisaw, Garrett Bradbury, and Brian O’Neill all on the field at the same time.
Cook had 146 carries in 2022 with all three of those linemen on the field together and had extremely different results. On those carries Cook averaged:
- 5.1 yards per carry
- 38.4% success rate
- 13.0% of runs for 10 or more yards.
- 19.2% of runs failed to gain yardage.
- 3.77 yards after contact per carry
Cook is currently signed through the 2025 season. He currently carries a $14.1 million cap hit with $8.2 million in dead money for 2023. A post June 1st release would save the team $9 million this season.
The Vikings retained Alexander Mattison on a two-year contract this offseason to provide insulation.
Mattison has been serviceable when Minnesota has had to press volume through him but has also been lackluster in the efficiency department.
Over the past two seasons, there are 74 running backs that have 100 or more rushing attempts. Among those backs, Mattison ranks:
- 68th in yards per carry (3.7)
- 45th in success rate (37.5%)
- 43rd in explosive run rate (9.1%)
- 42nd in yards after contact per carry (2.78)
Even if Cook is traded or released, Mattison is unlikely the answer to carry this backfield, and his contract suggests the Vikings agree.
The team has Kene Nwangwu and Ty Chandler as depth here. Both have multiple seasons remaining on their rookie contracts.
Wide Receiver Depth Chart, Vikings:
- Justin Jefferson
- K.J. Osborn
- Jalen Reagor
- Jalen Nailor
- Brandon Powell
- Trishton Jackson
- Blake Proehl
No player has ever had more receptions (324) or receiving yards (4,825 yards) than Justin Jefferson has through three seasons in the league.
Jefferson led the NFL in catches (128) and receiving yards (1,809) in 2022, tacking on nine total touchdowns. He accounted for 28.6% of the Minnesota team receptions (fourth among wide receivers) and 37.6% of the receiving yardage (first).
It also did not hurt Jefferson that the Minnesota offensive line and defense completely fell apart in the second half of the season, which created some unique game environments.
He led the NFL with 687 routes run, the most in the NFL.
Jefferson is now in the final cheap year of his rookie contract before his $19.7 million fifth-year option in 2024. It is not a matter of if he will be the highest-paid wide receiver in league history, but when?
The cupboard is bare behind Jefferson.
Adam Theilen (who was second in the league in routes run last season) was released earlier this offseason.
The team has K.J. Osborn still on the roster, and he ended 2022 on a positive note.
Through 12 games last season, Osborn was targeted on just 13.1% of his routes, catching 30-of-52 targets for 262 yards and two touchdowns.
Over the final six games of the season, Osborn was targeted on 18.5% of his routes, catching 32-of-41 targets for 408 yards and four touchdowns.
While the conclusion of 2022 gives Osborn momentum to build on heading into this season, he is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Minnesota should not rest on that six-game sample believing he is the true No. 2 option behind Jefferson.
After Jefferson and Osborn, there is nothing tangible here.
The Vikings also can pick up the fifth-year option on Jalen Reagor if they choose. (Note to editor: put this in comic sans).
Reagor has the most career receptions (72) among the depth here, but only eight of those receptions came in 2022.
Tight End Depth Chart, Vikings:
- T.J. Hockenson
- Josh Oliver
- Johnny Mundt
- Ben Ellefson
- Nick Muse
Minnesota traded for T.J. Hockenson at the trade deadline last season, and he immediately became their second receiving option in the passing game.
From Week 9 through the end of the regular season, Hockenson was second among all tight ends in targets (86), catches (60), and receiving yards (519) behind only Travis Kelce. His 21.8% share of the Minnesota targets over that span was third at the position.
Hockenson did take advantage of the Minnesota offensive climate over that stretch. He ran the most pass routes in the league (36.1 per game) over that span while his 1.44 yards per route run was 15th.
Hockenson’s 8.7 yards per catch and 6.0 yards per target with the Vikings were the lowest rates of his career.
Hockenson will look to find a marriage of efficiency and volume this season while playing on the fifth-year option.
Given his counting stats with the team and the trade compensation, it would be surprising if Minnesota did not attempt to sign Hockenson to a longer contract, although the pending contracts for Justin Jefferson and whatever they are going to do at quarterback also carry significant weight.
The Vikings added Josh Oliver this offseason to shore up the blocking role at the position. Oliver has just 26 career receptions through three years in the league but received the second-highest run blocking grade among tight ends in 2022 per Pro Football Focus with 62.9% of his snaps coming as a run blocker.
53.6% of Johnny Mundt’s snaps in 2022 were as a run blocker, and he ended up with the 56th-ranked run blocking grade per Pro Football Focus.
Offensive Line Depth Chart, Vikings:
LT: Christian Darrisaw/Blake Brandel/Vederian Lowe
LG: Ezra Cleveland/Austin Schlottmann
C: Garrett Bradbury/Josh Sokol
RG: Ed Ingram/Chris Reed
RT: Brian O’Neill/Olisaemeka Udoh
Minnesota seemingly has had issues with their offensive line since the days of Steve Hutchinson and Bryant McKinnie.
The Vikings ranked 22nd in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric (57%) and 18th in run block win rate (71%). Minnesota allowed a 35.8% pressure rate on dropbacks, which was 25th in the league.
Health was a major detriment to this unit in 2022. The team had their best three offensive linemen on the field together in just 10 games last season.
Christian Darrisaw, Garrett Bradbury, and Brian O’Neill played 48% of the offensive snaps together last season.
Among 95 qualifying tackles in 2022, O’Neill was 15th in pressure rate allowed (3.6%) while Darrisaw was 18th (3.9%).
All of Darrisaw, O’Neil, and Bradbury are signed for multiple seasons.
Both guard spots were issues for the Vikings in 2022.
Ezra Cleveland was great in the run game (fourth highest grade at Pro Football Focus) but had issues in pass protection.
He was 60th in pass blocking grade, allowing a pressure on 7.3% of his protection snaps, which ranked 81st. Cleveland is in the final season of his rookie contract.
The team selected Ed Ingram in the second round (59th overall) last season. Ingram took his lumps as a rookie, but he did start every game and took every snap at right guard for the team.
Ingram allowed a pressure on 8.2% of his snaps in protection, which was 84th among guards.
The contractual depth here is largely lacking. Outside of the contracts already mentioned, only Vederian Lowe (last season’s sixth rounder) and Josh Sokol are signed beyond this season.
Minnesota Vikings Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Dan Pizzuta breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the Minnesota Vikings, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
2022 Minnesota Vikings Defensive Rankings
Interior Defensive Line Depth Chart, Vikings:
- Harrison Phillips
- Khyiris Tonga
- Dean Lowry
- James Lynch
- Jonathan Bullard
- Sheldon Day
- Esezi Otomewo
- Ross Blacklock
- T.J. Smith
The one area the Vikings' defense was fine was against the run, where they ranked 14th in EPA per play per TruMedia.
Minnesota lost Dalvin Tomlinson to free agency, but he wasn’t the most important piece of the defense.
Harrison Phillips played 60% of the defensive snaps and was the team’s best run defender. 16.9% of his run defense snaps resulted in a tackle.
There are a lot of players behind Phillips who could fill in along the interior, but there is not exactly a clear picture of who would be at the top of that order.
Khyiris Tonga was an impactful nose tackle who played 23.8% of the defensive snaps and recorded a tackle on 20.3% of his run snaps.
EDGE Depth Chart, Vikings:
- Danielle Hunter
- Marcus Davenport
- Za’Darius Smith
- D.J. Wonnum
- Luiji Vilain
- Pat Jones II
- Curtis Weaver
- Kenny Willekes
- Benton Whitley
Minnesota’s pass rush did not equal the sum of its parts.
Both Danielle Hunter (10.5 sacks) and Za’Darius Smith (10 sacks) individually had impressive seasons as pass rushers, but there was not much else after that. As a result, the Vikings were just 19th in pressure rate.
Even Hunter and Smith might not have long-term outlooks in Minnesota.
Hunter’s contract voids after the 2023 season. Smith has two years left on his contract, but the 31-year-old has been highlighted as a potential cap casualty throughout the offseason. It is a bit surprising he is still on the roster.
The Vikings took a swing on a one-year deal for Marcus Davenport in free agency.
Davenport comes with a high pedigree as a former first-round pick, but he has had trouble staying on the field and producing consistently throughout his career.
He set career highs in quarterback hits (16) and sacks (nine) in 2021. Those numbers fell to eight and 0.5 in 2022.
Davenport had an above average pressure rate, but just 1.5% of his pressures turned into sacks and 1.3% of his pass rushes resulted in a quarterback hit.
Off-ball Linebacker Depth Chart, Vikings:
- Jordan Hicks
- Brian Asamoah
- Troy Dye
- Troy Reeder
- William Kwenekeu
Jordan Hicks was a solid run defender with 70 tackles that produced a positive play for the defense, which ranked 22nd among all defenders in 2022. But there were struggles in coverage, where he ranked 60th among linebackers in yards allowed per coverage snap.
The Vikings will need to figure out who the second linebacker on the field will be with Eric Kendricks gone.
Minnesota was high on Brian Asamoah as a third-round rookie, but he played just 10% of the defensive snaps last season while Hicks and Kendricks rarely came off the field.
Troy Dye was pushed into action as a rookie in 2020 but has played 5% and 3% of the snaps over the past two seasons with a bigger role on special teams.
Troy Reeder has been a replacement level linebacker during his stints as a starter with the Rams and played as a special-teamer with the Chargers last season.
Cornerback Depth Chart, Vikings:
- Andrew Booth Jr.
- Byron Murphy
- Akayleb Evans
- Kalon Barnes
- Tay Gowen
Andrew Booth was Minnesota’s second-round pick in 2022 but injuries wiped out his rookie season.
Booth fell in the draft for some injury concerns and those popped up before his season-ending surgery in November. He’s expected to be ready for training camp.
Byron Murphy comes over from the Cardinals after playing as a solid corner in 2022. Murphy ranked 30th among outside cornerbacks in adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap last season.
The Vikings are completely turning over at corner with their top four snap takers at the position no longer on the roster.
Adding depth is a must, but expecting rookies to step in and play a significant role could be a tough ask.
Chandon Sullivan, who played in the slot last season, remains a free agent.
Safety Depth Chart, Vikings:
- Harrison Smith
- Camryn Bynum
- Lewis Cine
- Josh Metellus
- Theo Jackson
Harrison Smith remains a fixture on the back end of the Minnesota defense, but at 34 years old, Smith does not have the same impact he once did.
He was also aided by the two-high structure from the Minnesota defense last season. Brian Flores runs a more aggressive system that could ask a bit more from Smith.
There are three years remaining on Smith’s contract but there are significant cap savings after the 2023 season.
Camryn Bynum played 100% of the defensive snaps last season with mixed results.
Bynum, a converted cornerback, was not aided as much by Minnesota’s defensive structure. He routinely played deep and struggled at times to read and react to some of his responsibilities in coverage. That could be something fixed with Flores now in control.
Lewis Cine was Minnesota’s first-round pick and the best true deep safety in the 2022 draft class, but his season was cut short with a compound leg fracture in Week 4. Cine could be ready to participate in the latter stages of OTAs.