The 2023 season is inching closer and closer by the day and we here at Vikings Wire are previewing the season from every angle. Today, begins profiling the Minnesota Vikings roster on the defensive side of the football.
We are currently writing player profiles on each Viking on the roster with projections for what their 2023 season could look like. How things look projecting forward is where the real intrigue lies.
Leading up to training camp, we will be looking at each position from a more in-depth perspective. Today, we will be looking at the defensive line.
The room
- Harrison Phillips
- Dean Lowry
- Khyiris Tonga
- Jonathan Bullard
- Jaquelin Roy
- James Lynch
- Esezi Otomewo
- Sheldon Day
- T.J. Smith
- Junior Aho
- Calvin Avery
- Ross Blacklock
Performance in 2022
This was an interesting group in 2022. They weren’t an elite group of players, but they did their job well most of the time. They did lose Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency, but added Dean Lowry to replace him.
Harrison Phillips played okay at nose tackle, but he wasn’t the type of mover at nose tackle that you need in a 3-4. He would be a good one technique in a 3-4 with a one-gap responsibility, but two-gapping wasn’t his strength.
Khyiris Tonga was the biggest surprise of the group. He was picked up off waivers at the beginning of the 2022 season and was great in a rotational role. He played mostly 5T/4i but is a nose tackle by trade and could very well be the starting nose tackle in 2023.
Jonathan Bullard was signed right before training camp to help teach the Vikings the Vic Fangio-inspired defense. He ended up being a stalwart player on the defensive line, playing in 12 games and starting seven.
The Vikings traded for Ross Blacklock on cutdown day and it wasn’t what the Vikings had hoped for. He didn’t play in the final seven games of the season and was a healthy scratch for most of those. He played in 139 snaps in 2022, mostly in a pass-rush role.
A fifth-round pick in 2022, Esezi Otomewo only played in 89 snaps across five games, but it was always a long-term play with him. He is a really good athlete with great size that could develop into a great player down the line.
James Lynch was a solid player for the Vikings in 2022, but the lack of true upside kept him from taking the next step. He wins based mostly on effort and strength with his athleticism being average.
Expectations in 2023
This group was put in rough positions last season. The Vikings rarely blitzed in 2022 and they were asked to win without any true schematic help. With the addition of Brian Flores, they are going to be in a better position with his aggressive approach.
There is talent in the room, but it doesn’t boast high-end talent like it has in years past. This group will be relying on the youth in the room to make a real impact. The projected starters are Phillips, Lowy and Tonga right now with Otomewo and Roy likely to play a big role this season.
What does the future of the room look like?
This is an interesting group moving forward. Bullard is the only player that will be 30 on this unit (turns 30 in October) along with multiple players that are in their first three seasons in the league. Otomewo, Roy and Tonga are the future of this group and will all be at minimum capable rotational players.
Is this group good enough to be great? That is a real question for the Vikings moving forward. Phillips and Lowry are fine, but neither are huge difference makers on the line of scrimmage. Without any great players, that could be an issue for this team long-term.
Previous state of the roster articles
Quarterback
Running back
Wide receiver
Tight end
Offensive tackle
Interior offensive line
