5 Minnesota Vikings who could be shocking cuts in 2023

Player No. 5

LB Jordan Hicks

Jordan Hicks was surprisingly retained for another year in Minnesota, but will he also be surprisingly let go before the season starts?

With Eric Kendricks gone, Hicks becomes the old man in the Vikings' linebacker room. He'll provide invaluable knowledge to Brian Asamoah both on and off the field, and he can also mentor young players like Ivan Pace Jr., William Kwenkeu, and even Troy Dye.

That leadership ability makes his spot on the team pretty much a lock. But what if he is just a step or two slower than the rest of these young bucks?

It's possible that Minnesota will go with a youth movement at inside linebacker. The players mentioned above are all exciting options, and Dye, along with new face Troy Reeder, could be kept to provide experience and mentorship.

For this to happen, Hicks will have to have a pretty rough training camp. He'll have to look slow, miss tackles, and maybe even miss time with one of those lingering types of injuries. It's unlikely, but that's why it would be such a shock to the purple hearts of Vikings fans across the globe.