Vikings Trade Deadline Primer: Positions and Players to Watch, Cap Space, More

Will the Vikings make any moves before Tuesday's trade deadline?

The NFL trade deadline is next Tuesday, November 1st, and the 5-1 Vikings are in position to be buyers. Given their strong start to the season and the relative weakness of the conference around them, this could be an opportunity for first-year general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah — who has shown an affinity for trading, dating back to the draft — to bolster his team's roster.

Let's be clear: it seems highly unlikely that the Vikings will make any huge, splashy moves. They're still in the midst of what Adofo-Mensah described earlier this year as a "competitive rebuild," and the underlying metrics suggest they've overachieved so far this season. This isn't a situation like the Rams were in last year, where it made sense to sacrifice premium future draft capital and go all in. Don't expect the Vikings to trade a first-round pick for a star player like Broncos edge rusher Bradley Chubb, and even trading a Day 2 pick would be a bit of a surprise.

It would also be a bit of a surprise if the Vikings don't end up making a move of some sort before the Tuesday deadline. Although they have a talented roster, there are several positions that could use an upgrade or at least some additional depth. This Vikings team has put itself in a great position to earn a top-four seed in the NFC, and adding to the roster could help keep them on track to accomplish that.

Here's a primer on the Vikings' situation to get you ready for the trade deadline.

Cap space is an issue, but a fixable one

As of right now, the Vikings have the least salary cap space of any team in the NFL. That's not ideal. However, it's not something that will prevent them from making a trade. Cap space can be created pretty easily by shuffling things around via restructuring or extending contracts, and the Vikings have one of the best cap gurus in the league in longtime executive Rob Brzezinski. 

Here are a few things they could do to free up some space:

• Restructure Eric Kendricks' contract by converting base salary into signing bonus and spreading it out across future years. Doing so could free up over $4 million, according to OverTheCap.
• Extend Dalvin Tomlinson. The 28-year-old defensive tackle is set to hit free agency next spring, and he's been one of the Vikings' best players this year. Tomlinson already has some void years in his contract, but extending him is an option that could free up over $3 million in space.
• Restructure any number of other contracts. Adam Thielen, Brian O'Neill, Dalvin Cook...there are plenty of candidates. The point is this: the Vikings can create cap space if they want to. That involves proverbially kicking the can down the road to some extent, but that's part of the cost of making your team better in the present.

Positions and players the Vikings could target

If the Vikings do make a move, what position group might they target? There are numerous possibilities. Offensively, they could use another pass-catcher or perhaps an interior lineman. Defensively, upgrading from Chandon Sullivan at slot cornerback would make sense, and you can never have enough depth up front.

Let's go through some positions and throw out a few names that could be fits. For what it's worth, Darren Wolfson of SKOR North has reported that the Vikings have spoken with the Broncos, Texans, and Commanders recently. Some of the players named below are reportedly available, while others are purely speculation on my part.

Wide receiver

The Vikings have solid depth at receiver with Adam Thielen, K.J. Osborn, and cutdown day trade acquisition Jalen Reagor, who hasn't played much. But that doesn't mean they can't consider adding another wideout. Thielen has struggled to create separation, Osborn isn't much of a deep threat, and it appears Reagor will be limited to a gadget role. Trading for someone who can stretch the field and help the Vikings in the deep passing game could make sense.

The big names being discussed around the league are Jerry Jeudy, Chase Claypool, and Brandin Cooks. More realistic might be going after someone like the Broncos' K.J. Hamler, a speedster who has just five catches this year and could benefit from a change of scenery.

Tight end

If the Vikings want to add a pass-catcher, it doesn't have to be a receiver. They could look to upgrade their tight end group, which has been fairly disappointing this year as both Irv Smith Jr. and Johnny Mundt have dealt with drop issues. Since Mundt is mainly a blocker and Smith is in the final year of his contract, adding another pass-catching TE could make sense. Albert Okwuegbunam might be available after falling out down the depth chart in Denver, and Houston's O.J. Howard is a great athlete. Miami's Mike Gesicki just scored two touchdowns against the Vikings and has been rumored as a trade candidate since this offseason. 

Guard

The Vikings' biggest weak spot on offense is rookie right guard Ed Ingram, who has had a rough first six games in pass protection. But because he was just drafted in the second round, I'd be surprised if the Vikings made a move to replace him in the starting lineup. If that is something they're considering, Panthers RG Austin Corbett is an obvious name to keep an eye on. Carolina has already traded Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson, and Corbett is an excellent player who spent the last two seasons in Los Angeles with Kevin O'Connell.

Cornerback

As I mentioned, Sullivan has mostly played poorly at slot corner. Upgrading at that spot could provide a solid boost to this defense. PFF recently suggested Broncos veteran K'Waun Williams as a fit for the Vikings, which I wrote about here. As for other slot corners, Colts Pro Bowler Kenny Moore II would be a huge addition. What about Desmond King II (Texans) or Myles Hartsfield (Panthers)?

The Vikings could also add depth at outside cornerback, but rookies Andrew Booth Jr. and Akayleb Evans might be enough there. I wouldn't expect them to make a splash by going after someone like Washington's William Jackson III. Former Titans first-rounder Caleb Farley and the Seahawks' Sidney Jones IV are a couple interesting names who could be available. If the Vikings do add a cornerback, someone who can play nickel seems more likely than a true outside guy.

Defensive line

The Vikings' run defense hasn't been great, although part of that is because Ed Donatell's scheme uses a lot of light boxes and encourages teams to run the ball. Adofo-Mensah traded for defensive tackle Ross Blacklock during roster cutdowns and then signed Khyiris Tonga, but Blacklock hasn't made a huge impact and Tonga hasn't seen the field yet. Would the Vikings consider adding another player to that mix?

Dre'Mont Jones (Broncos), Matt Ioannidis (Panthers), and Michael Brockers (Lions) are a few names who could conceivably make sense.

Edge rusher

You can never have too many pass rushers. The Vikings have a couple stars at edge rusher in Za'Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter, plus solid depth with D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones II. However, both Smith and Hunter have injury histories, and the Vikings would be in trouble if either missed time. Adding another edge rusher could improve their depth and give them more options in case of injury.

The Vikings aren't going to go after someone like Chubb, but Texans veteran Jerry Hughes would be a strong pickup.

What the Vikings have to offer

To acquire a player, you have to give something up. Generally, that means a draft pick. So what do the Vikings have to offer?

In 2023, they possess a first, a second, a third, a fifth, and two projected compensatory sixths. 

Why so few picks? They traded their fourth-rounder to the Browns during this year's draft when they moved up to get Evans in the fourth. They traded their sixth to the Texans for Blacklock. They also acquired a seventh-rounder in that trade, but sent it to the Eagles in the Reagor trade the next day. A year ago, the Vikings' previous regime traded Stephen Weatherly and their 2023 seventh-round pick to the Broncos for a 2022 seventh.

In 2024, the Vikings definitely have their first, second, third, and sixth. They traded their fourth-rounder in the Reagor deal, but it could become a fifth if certain unspecified statistical marks aren't met. They traded their seventh to the Raiders for Nick Mullens.

Adofo-Mensah doesn't have a ton of picks to work with, but he has enough to make a deal. Theoretically, the Vikings could use 2025 or 2026 picks as well, but that's rare outside of blockbuster deals.

Another option would be to trade a player. The Vikings obviously aren't sellers, but they could potentially package a player with a pick in a deal. That would have the added benefit of freeing up some cap space. Alexander Mattison could make sense for a team in need of a running back, but the Vikings may not want to give up their primary backup to Dalvin Cook, especially with rookie Ty Chandler on IR. Veteran guard Chris Reed has been a healthy inactive most weeks, so he could be a possibility.

The most likely scenario, if the Vikings do make a deal, is that they trade a Day 3 pick for a solid player to bolster their depth.

Let's see if Adofo-Mensah makes something happen before Tuesday.

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