Vikings face abrupt finish, roster churn after all that fun

EAGAN, Minn. — The end hit harder for the Minnesota Vikings than usual, a season of exhilarating finishes and exceeded expectations smudged by this quick exit from the playoffs. “That’s hard to accept, especially with how many great players are in there.” There’s always year-to-year turnover in the NFL, but general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his staff will face an especially difficult round of decisions over the next two months as he and O’Connell enter their second season together. “We wanted to do more and just didn’t get it done.” The Vikings have eight players scheduled for eight-figure salary cap hits in 2023, in order: Cousins, wide receiver Adam Thielen, right tackle Brian O’Neill, Smith, outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith, running back Dalvin Cook, outside linebacker Danielle Hunter and inside linebacker Eric Kendricks. “He’s one of the most talented middle linebackers I’ve ever had the opportunity to play with.” BETTER VIBES The environment around team headquarters a year ago was at a low point after a second straight losing season that led to the firing of Zimmer, but the improvement in that area at the direction of the sunny O’Connell is an asset the Vikings can keep for 2023 and doesn’t count against the cap. “Guys believed each and every game that we could win each and every one of them.” SPEAKING OF COOK Cook is still only 27, but he’s another one whose future is murky by virtue of the undervalued and punishing position he plays entering his seventh NFL season.