EAGAN, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings will open 2023 NFL training camp July 23 in Eagan, Minnesota. Here’s a closer look at a few storylines:

Biggest question: Is this QB Kirk Cousins' final training camp with the team?

There are other camp storylines with more relevance to the 2023 season, most notably whether coordinator Brian Flores can turn around the defense. But from a big-picture standpoint, nothing is more important than answering whether Cousins -- whose contract expires next spring -- will perform this season in a way that will compel the team to extend his deal. That question will hover over every day of the Vikings' summer, fall and winter.

Cousins found a groove during the second half of last season, and he presumably will carry over his familiarity with coach Kevin O'Connell's scheme into training camp and, eventually, the 2023 season. If so, the Vikings probably will try to bring him back for 2024 and possibly beyond.

But if he does not, or he simply shows his age -- Cousins will turn 35 in August -- the Vikings will go into scramble mode next winter. Veteran backup Nick Mullens is not a likely heir, and unless fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall puts on a show in training camp, the team would be forced to find a new starter in 2024.

Most important schematic shift: Brian Flores' attacking style

Flores signed on as defensive coordinator to employ a scheme that on paper appears to be the opposite of what former coordinator Ed Donatell used in 2022. In previous stops, Flores has blitzed heavily and leaned largely on man-to-man defense. It's fair to ask whether the Vikings have the right personnel to make such a dramatic shift from a team that played off the ball with shell coverage in the back end last season, but training camp will give us a better idea.

Overall, the Vikings will have at least five new starters on defense to help with the transition.

The player with the most to prove: Andrew Booth Jr., CB

Booth was a high-risk/high-reward selection in the second round of the 2022 draft, having produced a college career at Clemson that was notable for both his impressive play and a long list of injuries. Upon arriving in Minnesota, he again struggled to stay on the field and was ultimately sidelined for the season because of a meniscus tear.

But the Vikings are going to give Booth every chance to be a starter in 2023, having bid farewell to their top four cornerbacks of 2022. He received extensive work alongside fellow 2022 draft pick Akayleb Evans during spring workouts but will have to fend off competition from 2023 third-round pick Mekhi Blackmon. Ultimately, though, the first thing Booth must demonstrate this summer is that he can stay healthy -- and on the practice field -- for an extended period of time.

Fiercest fantasy-relevant battle: Running back

The Vikings need a new starting running back following the release of Dalvin Cook. Former backup Alexander Mattison will get every opportunity to fill that role, with second-year player Ty Chandler and Pro Bowl kick returner Kene Nwangwu behind him for depth. But there are two competitions folded into that situation.

First, Mattison will need to earn the level of playing time Cook received last season in O'Connell's offense. It's one thing to start, but quite another to play virtually all of the meaningful running back snaps over the course of 17 games, as Cook did in 2022. That leads to the second battle. When Mattison comes out, will Chandler or Nwangwu be the first back in? Could seventh-round pick DeWayne McBride -- or perhaps a veteran acquired later this summer via waivers -- get into the mix?

Most impactful offseason addition: Josh Oliver, TE

Oliver's arrival in free agency, courtesy of a contract that includes $8.2 million in full guarantees for 2023, would seem to be a luxury for a team that acquired T.J. Hockenson last year. But the Vikings have bigger plans for Oliver than some might have initially realized, given his prowess as a blocker.

Simple observations of OTAs this spring revealed a notable opportunity awaiting Oliver in the passing game, depending on how opponents choose to cover All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson. Oliver could be a particular threat in the red zone, given his 6-foot-5, 270-plus pound frame. Coaches noted his long arms, big hands and basketball-like ability to "box out" defenders.

Hockenson will be the Vikings' top tight end and one of Cousins' primary options in the passing game. But Oliver is likely to be involved more than originally contemplated.