The Undetected and Appealing Possibility for the Vikings at the NFL Trade Deadline
K. Joudry
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At times, false dichotomies beset the discussion surrounding the Vikings and the NFL trade deadline.
People wonder whether the team will be a buyer or a seller. Another option, of course, is to do nothing. Failing to ship out or bring in talent is at least a third option. Moreover, we need to also remember that the GM has a habit of surprising onlookers, largely due to his adherence to a mentality that resists false dichotomies. Is there any chance he’ll be both a buyer and a seller?
The Vikings at the NFL Trade Deadline
Sitting at 2-4, the Vikings certainly look like a team that’s in a good position to sell. The roster isn’t without talent, but it’s also a roster that clearly doesn’t have enough to pursue a Lombardi in the immediate.
Danielle Hunter never fails to inspire a rumor or two. PurplePTSD hasn’t been immune to those possibilities, suggesting that the 49ers are a team to watch since there’s ample cap room and an ongoing desire to load up on pass rushers. Even Rick Spielman joined the conversation, arguing that Hunter is someone who will attract a lot of interest and that the Jaguars are a specific team to watch.
Strangely enough, it was a different piece on The 33rd Team that caused the wheels to start turning for your humble author. In fact, it’s a different Minnesota Vikings GM who is responsible for a reconsideration of what’s possible (probable?) for the Vikings at the trade deadline. Jeff Diamond — who contributes regularly at Vikings Territory — made 7 bold predictions for the trade deadline.
Part of what’s fascinating about his piece is that the opening trio of predictions involve young pass rushers. Carolina’s Brian Burns, Washington’s Chase Young, and New York’s Carl Lawson find their names in the trade chatter. Do these sound like players who could be of interest to Minnesota?
Burns is a 25-year-old edge rusher who was chosen 16th overall and who has picked up 42 sacks in his career. Young is a 24-year-old edge rusher who was chosen 2nd overall and who has picked up 12 sacks in his career. Lawson is a 28-year-old edge rusher who was chosen 116th overall and who has 27 sacks in his career.
Anyone who has watched the Vikings in 2023 will know that the front seven needs significant improvement. In fact, there’s a pretty good case to be made that overhauling the team’s defensive line and linebacker positions is a top priority for the offseason. After all, the best players — Jordan Hicks and Danielle Hunter — are both older and playing on expiring deals.
Saying goodbye to Hunter during the season would be the death knell for the team’s pass rushing efforts. No amount of creative blitzes can replace someone with the gifts that Hunter possesses.
What about replacing him during the season, though? Does selling Hunter mean the Vikings should buy a different pass rusher?
The Panthers are a horrendous football team at the beginning of a rebuild. Will they hand out a large deal to keep Burns in town beyond the current season? If so, then a trade makes no sense. If there’s some hesitance about keeping him around, though, then a trade should at least be considered.
A Brian Burns and Marcus Davenport twosome at least has the potential to be a dynamic partnership (assuming the former Saint is able to stay on the field with any regularity in the future).
Just think back to what the GM has done in his career. There have been 17 trades (read more here) and several have gone toward acquiring players who were picked high in the draft and who still had plenty of youth. Jalen Reagor, Ross Blacklock, and T.J. Hockenson all fit that criteria. The tight end even found a way of sticking around, agreeing to a large extension that locks him up as a key piece both now and in the future.
Hockenson is the embodiment of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s competitive rebuild philosophy (as the GM has acknowledged). The TE is mature enough to help compete in the immediate while being young enough to help rebuild.
Seeing the GM completely stay on the sidelines while other teams join the trade frenzy would be both uncharacteristic and unprecedented. So far, Adofo-Mensah hasn’t missed a chance to jump into the action during the NFL calendar’s main trading periods: the draft, the end of the preseason, and the deadline. He has pulled off at least a single move in each opportunity he has had.
While most of the analysis tries to decode whether the team will buy or sell, the GM himself has equipped us with a framework and rationale for recognizing the merits of doing both at the same time. Sell high-performing veterans who no longer have a future in Minnesota. Buy youthful replacements who can become the high-performing players for the team Adofo-Mensah is building.
The NFL’s trade deadline arrives on Halloween. Keep in mind that the Vikings have eight selections in the 2024 NFL Draft and close to $56 million in cap space in 2024.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.