The 2023 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 63rd in the National Football League (NFL), their eighth playing their home games at U.S. Bank Stadium and their second under the head coach/general manager tandem of Kevin O'Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
They started 0–3 for the second time in the past four seasons. They failed to improve upon their 13–4 record from 2022 after a Week 5 loss to the eventual back to back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and match that record with a Week 11 loss to the Broncos. However, after having a 1–4 record, the Vikings would win 5 games straight, going to a 6–4 record. During Minnesota's Week 8 game against their division rival, the Green Bay Packers, starting quarterback Kirk Cousins ruptured his achilles tendon, ruling him out for the rest of the season. They went through a quarterback carousel for the rest of the season, going 1–6 in their last 7 games including 4 straight losses to end the season. In Week 16, they were knocked out of division contention following a loss to the Detroit Lions, and in Week 18, they were eliminated from playoff contention after losing to the Lions again.
For the first time since 2012, wide receiver Adam Thielen was not on the roster, as he was released on March 10. Additionally, for the first time since 2016, four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook was not on the roster, as he was released on June 9. This was also the first season after the death of legendary coach and team advisor Bud Grant on March 11.
Offseason
Additions Position Player Former team DateWRBrandon PowellLos Angeles RamsSigned on March 22LBTroy ReederLos Angeles ChargersSigned on March 22TEJosh OliverBaltimore RavensSigned on March 15DEDean LowryGreen Bay PackersSigned on March 20OLBMarcus DavenportNew Orleans SaintsSigned on March 15CBByron MurphyArizona CardinalsSigned on March 15CBJoejuan WilliamsNew England PatriotsSigned on April 17
Subtractions Position Player New team DateWRAdam ThielenCarolina PanthersReleased on March 10LBEric KendricksLos Angeles ChargersReleased on March 6TEIrv Smith Jr.Cincinnati BengalsCBKris BoydArizona CardinalsCBCameron DantzlerWashington CommandersCBChandon SullivanPittsburgh SteelersCBPatrick PetersonPittsburgh SteelersCBDuke ShelleyLas Vegas RaidersOLBZa'Darius SmithCleveland BrownsTraded on May 16DTDalvin TomlinsonCleveland BrownsCGreg ManczBuffalo BillsReleased on January 14RBDalvin CookNew York JetsReleased on June 9
2023 draft
+ 2023 Minnesota Vikings draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 23 Jordan Addison WR USC 2 55 Traded to the Detroit Lions 3 87 Traded to the San Francisco 49ers 102 Mekhi Blackmon CB USC From 49ers 4 119 Traded to the Kansas City Chiefs From Lions 126 Traded to the Cleveland Browns 134 Jay Ward S LSU From Chiefs 5 141 Jaquelin Roy DT LSU From Colts 158 Traded to the Indianapolis Colts 164 Jaren Hall QB BYU From 49ers 6 201 Traded to the Houston Texans 211 Traded to the Indianapolis Colts Compensatory pick 7 219 Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles From Texans 222 DeWayne McBride RB UAB From 49ers 241 Traded to the Denver Broncos
+ 2023 Minnesota Vikings undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Junior Aho OLB SMU (IPP) Alan Ali C TCU Calvin Avery DT Illinois Abraham Beauplan MLB Marshall Andre Carter II OLB Army Jacky Chen OT Pace C. J. Coldon CB Oklahoma Wilson Huber MLB Cincinnati Cephus Johnson WR Southeastern Louisiana Malik Knowles Kansas State Garett Maag North Dakota Zach Ojile FB Minnesota Duluth Ivan Pace Jr. MLB Cincinnati Jack Podlesny K Georgia Ben Sims TE Baylor Thayer Thomas WR NC State NaJee Thompson CB Georgia Southern Jaylin Williams Indiana
Draft trades
Staff
Final roster
Preseason The Vikings' preseason schedule was announced on May 11, 2023, along with the regular season schedule. They first travelled to the Pacific Northwest to play the Seattle Seahawks, before returning to Minnesota for their remaining two games, first against the Tennessee Titans and then the Arizona Cardinals.
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Seattle Seahawks L 13–24 0–1 Lumen Field Recap 2 Tennessee Titans L 16–24 0–2 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 3 Arizona Cardinals L 17–18 0–3 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap
Game summaries Week 1: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 2: vs. Tennessee Titans
Week 3: vs Arizona Cardinals
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 17–20 0–1 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 2 at Philadelphia Eagles L 28–34 0–2 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 3 September 24 Los Angeles Chargers L 24–28 0–3 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 4 October 1 at Carolina Panthers W 21–13 1–3 Bank of America Stadium Recap 5 October 8 Kansas City Chiefs L 20–27 1–4 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 6 October 15 at Chicago Bears W 19–13 2–4 Soldier Field Recap 7 San Francisco 49ers W 22–17 3–4 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 8 October 29 at Green Bay Packers W 24–10 4–4 Lambeau Field Recap 9 November 5 at Atlanta Falcons W 31–28 5–4 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap 10 November 12 New Orleans Saints W 27–19 6–4 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 11 November 19 at Denver Broncos L 20–21 6–5 Empower Field at Mile High Recap 12 Chicago Bears L 10–12 6–6 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 13 Bye 14 December 10 at Las Vegas Raiders W 3–0 7–6 Allegiant Stadium Recap 15 at Cincinnati Bengals L 24–27 7–7 Paycor Stadium Recap 16 December 24 Detroit Lions L 24–30 7–8 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 17 December 31 Green Bay Packers L 10–33 7–9 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 18 January 7 at Detroit Lions L 20–30 7–10 Ford Field Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 2: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 4: at Carolina Panthers
Week 5: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 6: at Chicago Bears
Week 7: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 8: at Green Bay Packers
Week 9: at Atlanta Falcons
Week 10: vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 11: at Denver Broncos
Week 12: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 14: at Las Vegas Raiders
The Vikings scored the only points of the game after both teams went over 58 minutes without scoring, in the lowest scoring NFL game since 2007.Vikings beat Raiders 3-0 in lowest-scoring NFL game in 16 years, CBS Sports, December 11, 2023 The Vikings improved to 7–6 and remained in the playoff race.
Week 15: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 16: vs. Detroit Lions
Week 17: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 18: at Detroit Lions
With this loss, the Vikings finished the season on a four-game losing streak, their first since 2016. They were also swept by the Lions for the first time since that same season. Their 7–10 record was their first double-digit losing season since 2013, which also saw the Vikings go through a quarterback carousel driven by injuries and poor play.
Standings Division
Conference
Statistics
Team leaders Category Player(s) Total Passing yards Kirk Cousins 2,331 Passing touchdowns Kirk Cousins 18 Rushing yards Alexander Mattison 700 Rushing touchdowns Ty ChandlerJoshua Dobbs 3 Receptions T. J. Hockenson 95 Receiving yards Justin Jefferson 1,074 Receiving touchdowns Jordan Addison 10 Points Greg Joseph 108 Kickoff return yards Kene Nwangwu 380 Punt return yards Brandon Powell 289 Tackles Camryn Bynum 137 Sacks Danielle Hunter 16.5 Interceptions Byron Murphy 3 Forced fumbles Danielle HunterJosh Metellus 4 Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com
League rankings Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank Passing offense 4,359 256.4 5th Rushing offense 1,553 91.4 29th Total offense 5,912 347.8 10th Passing defense 3,986 234.5 24th Rushing defense 1,678 98.7 8th Total defense 5,664 333.2 16th Source: ProFootballReference.com
References
External links