Minnesota Vikings Draft Pick Arsenal: 2018 and 2019

Image courtesy of Vikings.com

Back in February, the Minnesota Vikings were awarded two compensatory picks, which are awarded to teams that lose more or better free agents than they acquire. As compensation for losing Cordarrelle Patterson and Adrian Peterson last offseason, the team received two sixth-round selections in this year’s draft. After gaining the two additional picks, the Vikings now have eight selections in the 2018 NFL Draft.

2018 total picks (8)

  1. Round 1, 30th overall
  2. Round 2, 62nd overall
  3. Round 3, 94th overall
  4. Round 5, 167th overall
  5. Round 6, 204th overall
  6. Round 6, 213th overall (comp pick)
  7. Round 6, 218th overall (comp pick)
  8. Round 7, 225th overall (from DEN)

The team traded its fourth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016 in exchange for quarterback Sam Bradford. General manager Rick Spielman also sent a seventh-round selection to the San Francisco 49ers in a trade for cornerback Tramaine Brock last September, but recouped a seventh-round pick from the Denver Broncos in last month’s trade for quarterback Trevor Siemian.

A look ahead

Once compensatory picks are awarded, the team receives the selections for the following season’s draft. The picks are generally awarded by the league late in February before the NFL Combine.

Compensatory picks

The method of determining which teams receive compensatory picks depends on multiple factors, including but not limited to the following:

  • How many notable free agents a team signs in the offseason
  • The contract value of a team’s departing free agent(s)
  • The amount of games played for each player on their new team
  • Player performance, including postseason honors

Basically, since Minnesota lost more “qualifying” free agents than it gained this offseason, the NFL will “compensate” the franchise by awarding two draft picks. Here’s a look at the team’s Cancellation Chart, via OverTheCap.com, which breaks down the process.

Minnesota Vikings
Qualifying UFAs Lost: 7 Qualifying UFAs Gained: 5
Name Rd. APY Rank Name Rd. APY Rank
Sam Bradford 3 $20,000,000 9 Kirk Cousins 3 $28,000,000 1
Case Keenum 3 $18,000,000 14
Jerick McKinnon 5 $7,500,000 183 Sheldon Richardson 4 $8,000,000 157
Teddy Bridgewater 6 $5,500,000 293
Tramaine Brock 7 $3,000,000 493 Kendall Wright 7 $900,000 912
Shamar Stephen 7 $2,100,000 626 Tom Compton 7 $850,000 952
Tom Johnson 7 $2,100,000 624 Tavarres King ? TBA TBA
Non-Qualifying UFAs Lost Non-Qualifying UFAs Gained
Emmanuel Lamur $790,000 1018

Since the loss of Bradford was “cancelled out” by the acquisition of Kirk Cousins, the team receives nothing; you see a similar occurrence with fifth-round qualifiers Jerick McKinnon and Sheldon Richardson. However, since no free agent acquisition replaces the loss of Case Keenum (a third-round qualifier), the team gets a third-round pick. The team also gets a sixth for the departure of Teddy Bridgewater.

The Vikings were in line to receive a compensatory seventh-round pick before the acquisitions of Kendall WrightTom Compton, and Tavarres King. So, using the chart above, here is the Vikings’ arsenal of 2019 NFL Draft selections.

2019 total picks (8)

  1. Round 1
  2. Round 2
  3. Round 3
  4. Round 3 (projected comp pick)
  5. Round 4
  6. Round 6
  7. Round 6 (projected comp pick)
  8. Round 7

As things stand now, the Vikings are projected to have eight picks in next year’s draft, but that could surely change as the team reshapes its roster next offseason.


The 2018 NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 26th. First round coverage begins at 7pm CST on the NFL Network and FOX.

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