Three Bold Purple Predictions
K. Joudry
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Let me begin by giving a shout out to Max Bultman of The Athletic. To my mind, Bultman is the best writer out there for Red Wings coverage. In a recent trade article – the Wings are rebuilding, so they’ll likely be sellers before the NHL’s trade deadline – Bultman spoke about how it would take a “Godfather Offer” to pry away one of their talented young players. The idea of a Godfather Offer – one that the team couldn’t refuse – largely inspires these three purple predictions.
The aim is to be at least somewhat bold. Do I necessarily think they’ll happen or that they should happen? No, not necessarily, and yet they exist in the Land of Plausibility. I’m therefore offering a prediction that covers a player on the roster, free agency, and then the draft. Enjoy.
The Purple Predictions
1) The Vikings Trade Danielle Hunter
This will be a sad day if it occurs.
Hunter is one of the team’s very best players. Partner in the fact that he emerged as a third-rounder to become a true DE1 and it’s easy to see why fans love him.
The issue is twofold: cost and health. Can the team bring him back at an expensive cap hit given the uncertainty surrounding his health?
If a team offers a first-rounder in the upcoming draft for Hunter, can the Vikings refuse? Admittedly, a draft pick comes with its own uncertainty. There’s no guarantee the player will turn out. A first-rounder could fall anywhere within the Laquon Treadwell-to-Justin Jefferson performance spectrum. Obviously, something close to Jefferson is the dream, but we can’t expect that outcome.
What a first-round selection would provide is guaranteed cap relief and then a highly-regarded player on a cost-controlled deal. Per Over the Cap, the Vikings would save $14.64 million in cap space through a trade.
2) The Vikings Go All-In on a Top-Tier Corner
Operating without a true CB1 is a real challenge. Having someone who can shut/slowdown the opposition’s WR1 gives the defense a major strategic advantage, the most obvious of which being able to double the WR2 on critical downs or bring an extra safety into the box to slow down the run.
For this reason, I won’t be shocked if the team makes a Godfather Offer for one of this year’s main corner free agents. More specifically, the Vikings may target J.C. Jackson or Carlton Davis. Being able to bring either in would involve a major financial commitment, so it indeed would need to be an offer that couldn’t be refused.
3) The Vikings Trade Down from 12
OK, I’ll admit that a trade down isn’t super bold. What makes it more bold is that the team will have their shot at a legit top-10 player who happened to slide. Instead of choosing that player, the team accumulates huge draft capital.
The scenario I’ve previously covered has been another team falling in love with a QB. That’s a situation where Minnesota could realistically demand a future first to acquire the 12th selection. Keep in mind that there are a lot of teams picking below Minnesota that may be inclined to jump up to secure their next QB.
The final of the bold purple predictions thus insists that you’ll see the Vikings trade down in the 2022 first round while also picking up an extra 2023 first rounder.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”958486″ player=”26281″ title=”WATCH%204%20takeaways%20from%20Kevin%20OConnells%20introductory%20press%20conference%20with%20Minnesota%20Vikings” duration=”160″ description=”SKIP TO MAIN CONTENTSportsnautSportsnautNFLCFBMLBNBAVIDSNHLNASCARUFCNFL·Published February 17, 20224 takeaways from Kevin O’Connell’s introductory press conference with Minnesota VikingsAndrew Buller-RussAndrew Buller-RussShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on FlipboardShare on RedditShare on News BreakShare via EmailEarlier in the week following the Super Bowl, some Minnesota Vikings fans began to worry about Kevin O’Connell potentially getting cold feet. Especially with the Sean McVay retirement rumors. Fans can rest easy now that O’Connell has officially been announced to the press as the 10th coach in Vikings history.In Thursday’s press conference the new Vikings coach had several interesting tidbits to share, including the likely immediate future of Kirk Cousins‘ status with the organization. Down below we break it all down.” uploaddate=”2022-02-18″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/958422_s_1645214109648.png” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/958422/958422.m3u8″]