3 Vikings needs the draft can fix and 2 needs free agency can fix in 2023
By Luke Parrish
Viknigs interior offensive line can be cleaned up in free agency
Minnesota has tried to figure out the offensive line for years, and that remains true heading into 2023. The guard spots have been decent at best, but neither Ezra Cleveland nor Ed Ingram has been able to make a statement. Garrett Bradbury made strides at center in 2022, but injuries and inconsistent play over four years are going to keep his name on the hot seat.
With only four draft picks to spare as of right now, Minnesota has much bigger needs to fill, and the likelihood of a Day 3 prospect stepping in and fixing some of the issues up front is too small to warrant putting all of their eggs in that basket.
The veteran free agent market has provided the Vikings with some help over the years as depth pieces, including Chris Reed, who stepped up down the final stretch of the season with Bradbury out.
There are plenty of names out there that could provide enough flexibility for the Vikings in the event of another series of injuries in the future. Much like Chris Reed, who could return next season in the same role, having a player that can fill in at all three spots along the interior is such a luxury.
Names to monitor include Billy Price, Chris Reed, and Nick Martin, among others. With just one pick in the top 75, it would be quite difficult to justify the Vikings taking a starting-caliber interior lineman in 2023.