The Vikings Should Trade for 2-Time Pro Bowler
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Obtaining otherworldly New York Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence via trade for the Minnesota Vikings probably isnât realistic.
The Vikings Should Trade for 2-Time Pro Bowler
The man is at the peak of his powers, and even if the Giantsâ season swirls down the tubes, Lawrence is still just 26 years old and the type of player a franchise retains during a rebuild.
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Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, however, should be more gettable. He doesnât quite have the sizzle right now like Simmons, and his team is very much swirling down the same tubes. Tennessee just released once-popular safety Jamal Adams so he could pursue a winning team in free agency, meaning the Titans may be initiating a surrender. Simmons could be âexpendable,â too.
Hereâs Simmonsâ Pro Football Focus resume to date:
2024: 67.6
2023: 68.4
2022: 81.1
2021: 71.9
2020: 83.6
2019: 70.4
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) is introduced before a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. © Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
And Simmons is 27, smack dab in the middle of his career prime â that could span another five years. Heâd be worth it. Simmonsâ trade availability is also fascinating because heâs not a one-trick pony. He doesnât have one specialty as an interior defensive lineman. He has two â terrorizing quarterbacks and stuffing the run.
A to Z Sports recently mentioned Simmons in the theoretical trade rumor mill. Heâs out there, at least for discussion. âTrading Simmons would save the Titans about $8 million in cap space for 2025 and get him almost entirely off their books by 2026. But if youâre a team looking to bolster your defensive line for the rest of 2-24 and foreseeable future, Simmons could be worth giving up a haul,â A to Zâs Sam Phalen opined.
âAny team that trades for Simmons would owe him just under $1 million for every game played in 2024 and could retain his services in 2025 for $18 million. Itâs worth making a call if youâre a buyer.â
Minnesota Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addressed the media about the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft from the TCO Performance Center. The Vikings have long-term draft needs at quarterback, cornerback, and interior offensive line.
His availability is not a VikingsTerritory-driven suggestion. The Titans may, indeed, hold some semblance of a fire sale within the next 19 days, and Minnesota should inquire about Simmons.
The price? Thatâs the debatable aspect. Minnesotaâs season is trending to feature a draft pick in the 20s next April, and Tennessee may seek to pry that pick away. However, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could possibly ship his 2025 1st-Rounder to Tennessee for Simmons and a 3rd-Round pick, for example, to hedge the bet. Adofo-Mensah conducted a similarly styled trade with the Detroit Lions two years ago for tight end T.J. Hockenson.
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With the purple team at 5-0 â maybe running the record to 6-0 with a win this Sunday versus the Detroit Lions â the 1st-Rounder becomes less valuable. Securing a proven asset like Simmons in his prime is worth the 26th overall pick (approximate estimate).
Make the 2024 defense unbeatable. Press the button on Simmons if Lawrence isnât for sale.
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, âThe Sopranos,â Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.Â
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
