Vikings Rumors: Sneaky Draft Need, League-Low QB Spot, and Most Tradable Player
As we enter the portion of the year when Vikings rumors start heating up, we’ll be highlighting some of the purple rumblings.
The “Vikings Rumor Wrangle” is a series that keeps readers informed on what’s being whispered about in Vikings Land. In this iteration, we discuss one of Minnesota’s sneaky draft needs, having one of the lowest QB spending totals in the league, and the roster’s most tradable player.
Vikings Rumors: 04.02.2025
Rumor #1 — Linebacker is a Sneaky Roster Need for the Vikings
Indeed, I think that’s true.
The top twosome — Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace Jr. — are a strong pair of starters. Part of the issue, though, is that both missed time last season due to injury. Depth options such as Eric Wilson and Brian Asamoah offer some reason for optimism and yet both are moving toward free agency next offseason. Oh, and don’t forget that Pace’s UDFA deal will come to an end, as well (he’ll be an RFA, making it more likely he sticks around with the Vikings).
One wonders, then, about sinking a pick into a linebacker. Take a look at a spot like PFF and there are a pair of off-ball linebackers who get tossed into the top-32 players: Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell and Georgia’s Jalon Walker. Sitting at 33rd overall is Demetrius Knight Jr., a linebacker from South Carolina.
Generally speaking, a trade down in the 1st Round would make a linebacker selection more likely.
Rumor #2 — The Vikings are Spending a Super Low Amount on their Quarterbacks
There are a pair of factors contributing to the reality.
For starters, the roster only has a pair of quarterbacks: J.J. McCarthy and Brett Rypien. Second, those quarterbacks are operating on modest deals. McCarthy is entering the second season of his rookie contract while Rypien is a veteran journeyman, meaning he doesn’t cost too much. Add their cap hits together and they’re taking just $6,021,999 out of the 2025 budget.
Folks, last season Kirk Cousins was accounting for $28.5 million on the budget and he wasn’t even on the roster. We’re talking about a very low cap commitment.
Only two teams — the Steelers and Titans — are coming in lower right now. Of note is that each team has an unsettled quarterback position.
No shortage of rumors have linked Aaron Rodgers to Mike Tomlin’s team while no shortage of rumors have linked Tennessee to Cam Ward, the draft’s top passer. If those dominoes fall, then the Vikings would be sitting in the bottom spot for the least amount of cap space being devoted toward the position (so long as an expensive backup doesn’t get added).
McCarthy will account for a $4,966,999 cap charge this season. Rypien is down at $1,055,000.
Rumor #3 — The Vikings Have a Possible Trade Target
Trading, by definition, takes two to tango. Put differently, there needs to be another team willing to give up an asset and/or a player to acquire someone (a player) or something (a draft pick) from the Vikings.
With that being said, consider Jeff Okudah as the team’s preeminent trade option. The long-and-strong corner can’t offer any cap relief to the Vikings if there’s a cut. The only way to clear out cap space is through a trade. Assume, for the sake of argument, that Minnesota doesn’t think he deserves a roster spot at the end of August: could he be traded away?
Very plausibly, there could be a market for the defender. He’s still only 26 and was drafted at No. 3 back in the 2020 NFL Draft. Yes, he has had a tough start to his career but there were a lot of teams that liked him leading into the draft. Prying him away from the Vikings would only cost a late-round pick and would only require $1,170,000 in open cap room. Those details — cheap draft capital alongside minimal cap space — make a trade quite easy to put together.
The likeliest outcome is that Mr. Okudah sticks around Minnesota for the 2025 season, functioning as the CB4/5 as he challenges for a larger role. If, however, there ends up being a corner crunch that makes his roster spot insecure, a trade would be quite plausible.
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 social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.