EAGAN, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings open the 2023 NFL regular season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 10 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
They spent the past five months reshaping large parts of their offensive and defensive position groups, refusing to go all-in after a 13-4 season that surprised many people inside and outside the organization. Gone are running back Dalvin Cook, receiver Adam Thielen, pass-rusher Za'Darius Smith, linebacker Eric Kendricks, defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and cornerback Patrick Peterson. They'll be replaced by a combination of relatively recent draft picks and younger free agent acquisitions, from running back Alexander Mattison to linebacker Brian Asamoah II to pass-rusher Marcus Davenport.
Still, some of the core of the Vikings' 2022 success remains intact, especially on offense, which returns all five starters along the offensive line as well as quarterback Kirk Cousins and receiver Justin Jefferson.
As training camp opens, here's a projection of the team's 53-man roster:
