The Vikings' Biggest Weakness Heading Into 2023? It's Still the Secondary

The Vikings' secondary was among the team's biggest weaknesses last season, despite strong play from veterans Harrison Smith and Patrick Peterson. Ed Donatell's passive scheme was designed to make things difficult on opposing quarterbacks, but they instead picked Minnesota's defense apart all year.

This offseason, the Vikings overhauled their cornerback room. They let Peterson sign with the Steelers in free agency and also saw Duke Shelley, Cameron Dantzler, and Chandon Sullivan leave. They brought in Byron Murphy Jr. to replace Peterson as their top cornerback, signed ex-Patriot Joejuan Willams, and drafted Mekhi Blackmon in the third round. They left the safety room — Harrison Smith, Cam Bynum, Josh Metellus, Lewis Cine — basically untouched.

And yet, only time will tell if the Vikings actually got better on the back end. Heading into 2023, the secondary is still Minnesota's biggest weakness, according to ESPN's Bill Barnwell.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah & Co. knew the secondary was a concern heading into last season, but their best-laid plans didn't work out. The Vikings used their top two picks in that draft on defensive backs, but Lewis Cine broke his leg in October and missed 14 games, and Andrew Booth was limited to 105 defensive snaps by a knee injury that eventually required surgery. Cameron Dantzler struggled before hitting injured reserve, and Akayleb Evans suffered three concussions before joining him.

Wholesale changes are afoot. Patrick Peterson, Duke Shelley and Chandon Sullivan were the three starters at cornerback during the loss to the Giants. They're all on other rosters. Starting safety Camryn Bynum will be pushed for his spot in the lineup by Josh Metellus and Cine. The only starter from last January who will be in the same spot in Week 1 is stalwart Harrison Smith, who might be entering his final year with the organization.

Opportunity abounds, for young players and for opposing passing attacks. Byron Murphy, a free agent addition from Arizona, will be one of the starting corners. Booth will be competing with Evans and middle-rounds rookies Mekhi Blackmon and Jay Ward for opportunities. New defensive coordinator Brian Flores loves to be aggressive and put his defensive backs on islands in coverage, so these guys will be in sink-or-swim situations in 2023.

One thing is for sure: Things will look different for the Vikings' entire defense this year. Brian Flores is almost the polar opposite of Donatell; he's going to bring all kinds of pressure every week. As Barnwell says, that will put pressure on Minnesota's cornerbacks to hold up until the blitz gets home.

That's why players like Murphy, Blackmon, and Evans are so important to the Vikings' success in 2023.

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