The Minnesota Vikings are coming off a 13-4 season in which they ran away with the NFC North but fell to the New York Giants in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The Giants amassed 431 total yards and scored 31 points — both well above their season averages — taking advantage of a Vikings defense that struggled all season.
The Vikings' defense allowed the second-most yards and the third-most points among NFL teams in 2022, and despite Minnesota's lofty record, the team's -3 point differential during the regular season is perhaps more representative of the their ability rather than the 13-4 record.
Even with the noticeable needs on the defensive side of the ball, the Vikings went for offense in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting USC wide receiver Jordan Addison with the 23rd overall pick.
Addison replaces Adam Thielen, who signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency. Thielen amassed 716 receiving yards as Minnesota's number two wideout, but the Minnesota State product was 32 years old and had not reached the 1000-yard plateau since the 2018 season.
The team addressed its defensive needs in the middle rounds of the draft, picking up USC cornerback Mekhi Blackmon in the third round, LSU safety Jay Ward in the fourth, and nose tackle Jaquelin Roy — also an LSU product — in the fifth round.
In free agency so far, the Vikings have made several impactful signings without spending too much cash. Defensive ends Dean Lowry and Marcus Davenport come to Minneapolis from the Packers and Saints, respectively, on short-term deals.
Elsewhere, corner Bryon Murphy comes in from Arizona to shore up the NFL's second-worst passing defense, while former Baltimore Raven Josh Oliver gives the Vikings an intriguing, athletic option at tight end.
This leaves a couple of obvious needs for the Vikings. First, linebacker. Eric Kendricks, the Vikings starting All-Pro middle linebacker for eight years, left for the Chargers, and Za'Darius Smith is in free agency limbo.
On the other side of the ball, the offensive line needs a boost. The Vikings ranked in the bottom ten in sacks allowed and the bottom five in rushing yards, yet did not add a lineman through the draft or free agency.
Here are some free agents that can fill these voids:
Dalton Risner (OG), Denver Broncos
Brian O'Neill and Christian Darrisaw make a solid offensive tackle pairing, but the interior of the Vikings' offensive line is a weak point.
Risner allowed just three sacks and committed one penalty in 2022, and at age 27, he can give the Vikings some longevity at the guard position.
A'Shawn Robinson (DT), Los Angeles Rams
It is no secret that the Vikings need more depth on the interior, and Robinson, a starter for the Rams during their Super Bowl winning-season, provides excellent run support with his 6-4, 330-pound frame.
Shelby Harris (DE), Seattle Seahawks
With many of the talented defensive linemen already having secured contracts, Harris is a strong 3-4 defensive end who can come off the bench or be a starter for new defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Damien Wilson (ILB), Carolina Panthers
As with the defensive line, the free agency market for linebackers is picked over by this point in the year. Damien Wilson is by no means a direct replacement for Eric Kendricks, but he was a regular starter for Dallas, Kansas City, and Jacksonville before mostly coming in off the bench for the Panthers in 2022.
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