Do the Green Bay Packers division rivals have a brighter future?
By Todd Welter
The Vikings are also facing a salary cup crunch. They are currently projected to be $23 million over the cap.
They might have to say goodbye to wide receiver Adam Thielen, safety Harrison Smith, and edge rusher Za’Darius Smith to get under the cap.
There is the matter of Kirk Cousins still being their quarterback. Cousins had a good season in 2022. He passed for 4,547 yards and 29 touchdowns but threw a career-high 14 interceptions. Nothing was more maddening when he infamously checked down on the team’s final down of the season in the playoffs against the New York Giants.
Cousins can make plays, but when the moment gets bigger, he tends to shrink away. He will count $30 million against the Vikings’ salary cap. Minnesota might be motivated to move Cousins.
If Minnesota keeps Cousins, they got a shot to win the NFC North again. That is because they still have wide receiver Justin Jefferson. He is the best receiver in the game and is a touchdown threat every time he touches the ball.
K.J. Osborn emerged as a potential threat opposite of Jefferson. The Vikings will still have tight end T.J. Hockenson and running back Dalvin Cook.
The defense needs to be upgraded. They ranked 28th in points allowed. The Vikings have holes on the defensive line and in the secondary.
Minnesota won 11 games by a possession. That is not going to be sustainable next year.
The Packers can boast Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs as two budding big-play receivers. Minnesota can only hope that Osborn continues to improve. Cook is starting to get up in years. Aaron Jones is a year older than Cook, but he at least has AJ Dillon to take some of the rushing load off his legs.
The Vikings are in the same boat the Green Bay Packers are in. They have a salary cap issue to solve. They need to decide what they want to do at quarterback.
It does not help that Minnesota officially has only four draft picks with the potential to add two sixth-round compensatory picks. Green Bay has eight picks, with three in the top 80.
The Packers at least have some potential to get better on defense internally, with seven first-round picks on that side of the ball. The Vikings have just one first-rounder still on their roster.
Minnesota may have won the North, but they have work to do to maintain holding on to the division with limited resources.