The Vikings head into their opener against the Buccaneers as solid favorites. Minnesota can't afford to take Tampa Bay for granted though. A misstep against the upstart NFC South foe could torpedo the Vikings' 2023 campaign before it even begins.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell and his staff return a soliid nucleus from last year's 13-4 squad. Minnesota crashed out of the postseason with a disappointing loss to the GIants in the Wild Card round, but expectations are that Minnesota will again compete for an NFC North crown.
If that's going to happen they'll need quality play from the big names on the roster. One rookie wideout will experience a lot of attention from fans looking to see diversification from the team's passing attack.
3. Jordan Addison
It's not unusual for a team's first-round pick to get a lot of attention heading into the regular season and the same is true for Jordan Addison. The talented wideout will be counted on to take heat off superstar wideout Justin Jefferson.
Addison doesn't need to play like a No. 1 wideout anytime during his rookie campaign. If he can be a solid No. 2 it will do wonders to improve the overall quality of the Vikings' offense. The former PItt and USC standout has the right combination of size and speed to trouble opposing defensive backs.
The key for Addison will be to earn quarterback Kirk Cousins' trust early during his rookie season. Grabbing five or so catches against the Buccaneers would go a long way towards accomplishing that goal for the talented 21-year-old.
2. Marcus Davenport
The Vikings pried Davenport away from the Saints with a one-year, $13 million contract this offseason. He has the talent to emerge as a top-tier edge rusher for the Minnesota defense but his career never got on track in New Orleans due to inconsistencies in his game.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores will believe he has the coaching acumen required to get the most out of the 27-year-old edge rusher. He will deploy Davenport at a starting spot at outside linebacker to get the most out of his speed on the outside.
That should see Davenport matched up with Buccaneers' right tackle Luke Goedeke on obvious passing downs in Week 1. That's a match-up the Vikings should fancy. Goedeke really struggled to protect the passer last year. Davenport should be looking to produce a lot of pressure any time he's left in a one-on-one matchup with the former second-rounder.
Davenport doesn't neeed to play like a superstar to justify his price tag, but getting an early sack on the board would qualify as an early-season success. The presence of veteran Danielle Hunter on the other side of the formation should allow Davenport to work against single-blocks early and often on Sunday. That's a recipe for success for Minnesota's high-price free agent acquisition.
1. Kirk Cousins
It' should no surprise any Vikings fan to see quarterback Kirk Cousins' name at the top of this list. It's an annual tradition for him to utilize Week 1 as an opportunity to answer questions from the team's passionate fan base.
At this stage of Cousins' career, it's unreasonable to expect him to suddenly become something he's never been. He's a quality game manager who can get the ball out to his weapons on time. He is not a transcendent quarterback who is going to suddenly valut himself into the MVP discussion.
What the Vikings can expect from Cousins is to perform as an effective trigger man for an offense that boasts some potent weapons. Jefferson is arguably the best wide receiver in football. T.J. Hockenson is an underrated tight end. The loss of Dalvin Cook is the one thing that might really negatively effect Cousins heading into this season.
That loss shouldn't prevent Cousins from engineering his squad to a 1-0 start. The Buccaneers should no respresent a serious challenge for a team that expects to compete for a division title. If Cousins can throw for over 200 yards with a solid completion percentage and no turnovers it should equal a win for both he and his team.