Edge rusher Marcus Davenport was an injury-prone underachiever when General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah gave him $13 million for 2023. Sixteen free agents got deals averaging at least that much. The other 15 were averaging 746 snaps and 15 games played entering Week 18. Davenport played 118 snaps in four games, underachieving and landing on injured reserve long ago. A cap-strapped team needed a shrewd signing for Brian Flores' pressure-based defense. Davenport's salary matched that of Green Bay's Preston Smith, who entered Week 18 with eight sacks, 696 snaps and 16 starts. Meanwhile, former Viking Za'Darius Smith, traded to Cleveland, entered Week 18 with 16 starts for a playoff team.
Five Extra Points: Plenty of reasons for Vikings' 2023 failings
