The Top 3 Trade Needs for Vikings
Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center on October 16th, 2024. Flores was hired in February 2023 to take over for Ed Donatell after Minnesota finished 30th in points allowed.
The Minnesota Vikings have started the season flawlessly, relishing a 5-0 record while exiting their Week 6 bye. The club hosts the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The Top 3 Trade Needs for Vikings
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah conducted a low-risk trade for running back Cam Akers on Tuesday evening, sending a conditional 6th-Rounder to the Houston Texans for Akers and a conditional 7th-Round pick. So, trade festivities are underway.
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.
And if the Vikings fire off more trades — they probably will — these are the top three positions of need. They’re ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = top positional need).
3. Wide Receiver
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports.
Current WR Corps:
Justin Jefferson
Jordan Addison
Jalen Nailor
Brandon Powell
Trent Sherfield
Trishton Jackson
Minnesota is one injury to Addison or Nailor from needing a little juice at wide receiver. Powell, Sherfield, or Jackson might fill in admirably in spots, but would you trust Nailor, for example, at WR2 for the rest of the season?
Adofo-Mensah could peruse the WR trade market for insurance.
The Candidates:
DeAndre Hopkins (TEN)
Christian Kirk (JAX)
Darius Slayton (NYG)
Adam Thielen (CAR)
Mike Williams (NYJ)
Robert Woods (HOU)
2. Cornerback
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
Current CB Corps:
Stephon Gilmore
Byron Murphy
Shaquill Griffin
Fabian Moreau
Akayleb Evans
Dwight McGlothern
The Gilmore-Murphy-Griffin trio is cooking for now, but it’s one injury away from fans trusting Akayleb Evans, Fabian Moreau, or rookie Dwight McGlothern on Sundays.
And corners always get hurt.
Minnesota may look for one more veteran cornerback before the tradeline to hedge the injury bet. A player like Jonathan Jones makes sense because of his ties to Brian Flores from the New England Patriots days.
Thankfully, the Vikings’ defense ranks first in the NFL per DVOA and EPA/Play through five games — by a mile — so roster depth is present on the whole. This one would be about getting greedy, just in case.
The Candidates:
Emmanuel Forbes (WAS)
Kaiir Elam (BUF)
Jonathan Jones (NE)
Greg Newsome II (CLE)
1. Defensive Tackle
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports.
Current DT Corps:
Harrison Phillips
Jerry Tillery
Jonathan Bullard
Levi Drake Rodriguez
Taki Taimani
Phillips, Tillery, and Bullard are playing well, but trading from a man like Jeffery Simmons would make the defensive front legendary and perhaps Super Bowl-worthy.
Minnesota can get by with the current group. It’s fine. However, before the trade deadline or next offseason, the Vikings should finally secure a game-changing, pass-rushing defensive tackle. The last guy was arguably Kevin Williams, who left 11 years ago.
The Candidates:
Quinton Jefferson (CLE)
DeMarvin Leal (LAC)
Jeffery Simmons (TEN)
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
