After a 13-4 season ending in a wild card loss, the Minnesota Vikings saw some significant roster turnover this offseason. They moved on from veterans Adam Thielen and Eric Kendricks and lost Patrick Peterson and Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency.
They added multiple veterans in free agency, but championship teams are built through the NFL draft. If they want to take the next step, they will need their draft picks to make an impact in 2023.
Here are six recent top 100 picks that need to step up for the Vikings to take a step forward.
S Lewis Cine
Brian Flores loves to have versatility in his defensive backs. Eric Rowe, Patrick Chung and Jevon Holland have all been weapons for Flores to deploy in a myriad of ways. That is something that we can look at in trying to project the second-year safety. Cine broke his leg in week four against the New Orleans Saints and is moving around well during OTAs. With his versatility and explosiveness in attacking downhill, Cine should fill that role and be an explosive playmaker from the start.
CB Andrew Booth Jr.
The Vikings got a steal in Booth Jr. at 42nd overall. While his talent had him as a top-15 player in the 2022 NFL draft, injuries and no athletic testing pushed him down into the second round. Those injuries hindered him in his rookie season. After playing just over 100 snaps, Booth Jr. needed surgery for a torn meniscus. After tearing his patella tendon back in high school, knee injuries are mounting up. Staying healthy will be a major factor in any potential success, but he is primed for success in a man-coverage heavy system.
RG Ed Ingram
As a rookie, Ingram played in the sixth-most snaps among interior offensive linemen at 1,173. He struggled at times with allowing pressure with 58 allowed along with 11 sacks over the course of the regular season. What’s important here is the Vikings allowed Ingram to work through his issues as a rookie and that will help him moving forward. If Ingram continues to grow and develop at a normal rate, Ingram will solidify the Vikings offensive line.
OLB Patrick Jones II
The big thing with the Vikings’ edge group is going to be staying healthy. Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport have a history of injuries and D.J. Wonnum isn’t a guarantee to make the roster. Going into his third season, Jones could be in line for a small breakout. Last season, Jones had four sacks and 16 pressures on 166 pass-rush snaps. With more reps and another offseason to develop, Jones should be a solid contributor at minimum.
LG Ezra Cleveland
The offensive line was already mentioned once in this piece with Ingram, but Cleveland is a player that needs to continue taking a leap. His third season was his best after transitioning inside from left tackle into guard. His PFF tracking stats weren’t the best with 55 pressures and five sacks allowed, but 17 of those pressures came in two games with seven against the Philadelphia Eagles and 10 against the Washington Commanders. In a contract year, Cleveland has a real chance to earn a big contract in free agency.
ILB Brian Asamoah II
The Vikings chose to move on from stalwart Eric Kendricks this offseason and saved over $9 million which opened up a starting spot for Asamoah. The 66th overall pick in 2022, Asamoah flashed his explosiveness in limited playing time, including a forced fumble against the New York Giants in week 16. With an explosive trigger downhill and burst in the open field, Asamoah will be maximized by Flores on defense, as the linebackers are often asked to attack and shoot gaps. That’s exactly what Asamoah is great at.
