Following their performance during the season, which members of the 2022 Minnesota Vikings need to be shown the door before they return to play in 2023?
After a magical 13-win performance during the regular season, the 2022 campaign came to a close for the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round of the playoffs when they fell to the New York Giants.
Unfortunately, it was an outcome for the Vikings that many weren’t very surprised by. Minnesota had the ball bounce their way more often than not during the regular season, but their luck ran out when they took on the Giants.
Now, the Vikings will head into the 2023 offseason with a number of questions to answer. Big decisions have to be made when it comes to both the roster and the coaching staff during the next few months.
Minnesota is likely going to have to make some tough choices this year, and that could mean cutting ties with some of their most beloved players.
When it comes to who the Vikings should bring back for the 2023 season, which members of the team’s 2022 squad should they move on from?
Ed Donatell – Defensive Coordinator
Whether he decides to retire from coaching in the NFL or the Vikings fire him, Ed Donatell’s tenure as Minnesota’s defensive coordinator cannot continue any longer than it already has.
Donatell took a Minnesota defensive unit that ranked 30th in the NFL in yards allowed in 2021 and actually found a way to make them worse in 2022.
There should be plenty of potential defensive coordinator candidates available this offseason and the Vikings need to find a new one.
Greg Joseph – K
Some might be thinking that Greg Joseph didn’t have a terrible performance during the 2022 season. But compared to his peers around the league, Joseph was easily one of the NFL’s worst kickers this season.
Joseph ranked 28th in the league in field goal accuracy and 24th in extra point accuracy. When the bar is set this low, Minnesota can go right ahead and find themselves a new kicker in free agency or the NFL Draft.
Adam Thielen – WR
Adam Thielen‘s storybook career with the Vikings has reached its final chapter. The Minnesota native might not want to be done playing in the NFL, but his time in purple and gold should be over.
Thielen had solid numbers in 2022, with 70 catches for 716 yards and six touchdowns. But those numbers are not good enough for someone that is currently scheduled to have a cap hit of almost $20 million in 2023.
Thielen hasn’t finished with at least 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 2018, and at 32-years-old, he’s not about to have some sort of career resurgence. Maybe the Vikings can figure out a way to keep him around in 2023 at a lower cost, but in case they can’t, Minnesota fans should start preparing for a roster without the kid from Detroit Lakes.
Irv Smith Jr. – TE
Scheduled to become a free agent in 2023, some Vikings fans might want to see the team bring Irv Smith Jr. back for at least one more year.
But there’s no reason to do that, especially with the addition of T.J. Hockenson during the middle of the 2022 season. Hockenson quickly established himself as Minnesota’s No. 1 tight end and that’s a role he should keep in 2023.
Smith’s tenure with the Vikings has been filled with injuries and letdowns. He used to have a ton of promise, and he could still potentially have a solid career in the NFL, but Minnesota should let him go find out with another team.
Jordan Hicks – ILB
During just about every game of the 2022 season, the middle of the field always seemed to be open whenever the Vikings were on defense. One of the guys in charge of that middle part of the field for Minnesota was veteran linebacker Jordan Hicks.
The Vikings signed Hicks to a two-year contract last offseason, but they should consider moving on from him after just one season.
Among qualifying linebackers in 2022, his pass coverage grade from PFF ranked 63rd, and his overall PFF defensive grade ranked 38th. Opposing quarterbacks also had a 121.3 passer rating when targeting a receiver that was covered by Hicks this season. He just hurt Minnesota more than he helped them in 2022 and the team should find a replacement for him before next season.
Eric Kendricks – ILB
During his prime, Eric Kendricks was one of the best linebackers in the entire NFL. That was years ago, however, and now Kendricks is average at best.
In 2022, the veteran defender led the Vikings in missed tackles with 15 and his PFF coverage grade ranked lower than Jordan Hicks’ (71st).
With Minnesota being able to clear $9.5 million in cap space by cutting Kendricks this offseason, this feels like a relationship that has probably reached its end.
Chandon Sullivan – CB
Chandon Sullivan was brought in to be Minnesota’s nickel cornerback for the 2022 season. Lining up in the slot as a defender is one of the toughest jobs in the NFL, but Sullivan made it look even harder.
The veteran defensive back’s defensive grade from PFF this season ranked 94th among qualifying cornerbacks. Sullivan only had three pass breakups in 2022 and opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of 108.5 when throwing in his direction.
Since he only signed a one-year deal with the Vikings last offseason, he is currently scheduled to become a free agent in March. There is no reason for Minnesota to bring him back for the 2023 season.
Jalen Reagor – WR/PR
The Vikings trading for Jalen Reagor right before the beginning of the 2022 regular season was certainly a move that most of the team’s fans didn’t see coming.
Reagor, a former 2020 first-round draft pick, was turning into a bust with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Minnesota apparently thought a change of scenery might bring out the best in him. Turns out, the Vikings were wrong.
Reagor was incredibly unreliable whenever he was given offensive snaps during the 2022 season and his 6.4 yards per punt return ranked 16th in the NFL.
He’s still scheduled to be under contract with Minnesota in 2023, but moving on from him this offseason should be a pretty easy decision to make.