The Vikings’ Top Trade Candidates: 3 Players to Monitor
First, allow me to register a few points of disagreement (with respect).
The Vikings’ top trade candidates list doesn’t include Harrison Phillips, someone affectionately known as Horrible Harry. Yes, there have been some pricey additions at defensive tackle — namely, Jonathan Allen & Javon Hargrave — but they aren’t in town to replace Mr. Phillips. Rather, the Allen and Hargrave adds are about supporting Mr. Phillips, complementing the rugged run defender by offering some pass-rush sizzle.
So, too, will I disagree with the notion that linebacker Brian Asamoah and running back Ty Chandler are trade candidates. Why? Aren’t both on the roster bubble? The answer is yes, it would appear as though their spots on the team are in peril. The issue is simply that neither seem likely to attract much interest on the trade market. Would a team really forfeit a draft pick to onboard a linebacker or a runner who is in the final year of his deal and who has been unable to offer any consistent production in Minnesota?
Instead, pivot toward players who offer upside and appeal but who nevertheless could find themselves on the outside-looking-in for the team’s 53-man roster. All trades are assumed to occur after June 1st, a notable date for cap purposes.
The Vikings’ Top Trade Candidates: A Trio of Options
Trade Candidate #1 — Jalen Nailor, Wide Receiver
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah allowed K.J. Osborn, the old WR3, to walk away. The cost to keep him wouldn’t have been too steep — Osborn went to the Patriots for just $4 million on a one-year deal — but the Vikings still opted to proceed without the homegrown talent.
Does something similar occur with current WR3 Jalen Nailor?
The receiver is coming off his best season as a pro (by far). He played in all seventeen games, turning 42 targets into 28 catches, 414 yards, and 6 touchdowns. Note that 22 of his catches went for first downs, a detail that shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle. He can move the sticks, a coveted ability.
The issue is simply that Minnesota has invested a ton in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. Making things even tougher is the selection of Tai Felton at No. 102, someone with a similar build and set of skills. Could the GM be persuaded to move on from Nailor for a 6th or 7th?
Cap Savings: $1,100,000
Trade Candidate #2 — Jeff Okudah, Corner
Best guess is that Jeff Okudah ends up on the final roster. The No. 3 pick from 2020 hasn’t lived up to expectations but still has potential.
What happens, though, if Minnesota conducts an offseason competition and concludes that Mr. Okudah isn’t going to make the team? Well, a trade becomes the obvious path forward.
As PurplePTSD has discussed, cutting Okudah comes with zero financial benefit. All of his contract is going to hit the books in Minnesota; cutting the corner either before or after June 1st won’t impact things at all. A trade, in contrast, would mean clearing close to $1.2 million. Not a ton, but better than nothing.
The 6’1″ corner who weighs 205 pounds is a favorite to be the Vikings’ CB4 or CB5. Failing to snatch one of those spots, though, could prompt the Vikings to look toward the trade market for someone willing to take a bet on a young corner with size who was picked super high.
Cap Savings: $1,170,000
Trade Candidate #3 — Blake Brandel, Offensive Lineman
Already, Kevin O’Connell is publicly dreaming about how good the offensive line can be with Donovan Jackson tossed into the LG1 spot.
Truth be told, the Vikings very likely want to retain Mr. Brandel. He can offer depth at literally all five spots on the offensive line while also having a history of playing jumbo tight end (also known as a sixth o-lineman). So, lots of value in having someone so capable of filling in anywhere up front. Every baseball team loves having a utility player; every football team loves having an ultra-versatile o-lineman.
The problem that arises, though, is Minnesota could consider Brandel a luxury, as Janik Eckardt discussed: “Brandel entered the draft as the lone remaining player from the interior line, but his future is now in jeopardy. Perhaps another team could be interested? It’s hard to predict trade markets, but [Ed] Ingram generated a sixth-round pick from the Texans, so why shouldn’t the more reliable player have a market?”
To my mind, Blake Brandel only gets moved if the player requests a change of scenery. But, to be sure, the NFL is an unpredictable place. Keep an eye on this one.
Cap Savings: $3,250,000
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 Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.