5 early defensive possibilities for the Vikings in the 2023 NFL Draft
By Luke Parrish
The Minnesota Vikings continue to deal with defensive struggles. Which prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft could help shift the narrative?
In his first season as the general manager of the Minnesota Vikings, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah aggressively pursued defensive prospects in the draft and in free agency. While his team has won plenty of games early in his tenure, the defense continues to be a bit of a problem, especially over the past month of the season.
Minnesota spent their first two draft picks on Lewis Cine and Andrew Booth Jr. to improve the secondary, but neither player had contributed much before hitting the injured reserve and cutting their season early.
As the Vikings fight for a playoff advantage, they have been exposed on the defensive side of the ball time and time again. Ed Donatell has not turned the unit around, and his job, while not in danger right now, is certainly not a guarantee for 2023.
Although I am not in favor of firing a coordinator after one season and trying to restart that process again, there do need to be improvements from Donatell and the players on the field. Veterans are not playing to their pedigree, and injuries are racking up down the stretch.
To maximize this roster, the Vikings should ultimately focus on defense in the draft once again. There are plenty of prospects that would be fun additions and replacements for some of the older guys on the roster.