Bleacher Report Names One Expendable Player for the Vikings
Dustin Baker
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On Saturday, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report released an analysis of 32 players for each NFL team that could or should be traded.
For instance, Matt Ryan should be dealt from the Atlanta Falcons to somewhere, Nick Foles from the Chicago Bears, Jaylon Smith from the Dallas Cowboys, Jordan Love from the Green Bay Packers, etc.
Top to bottom on the Minnesota Vikings depth chart, general manager Rick Spielman doesn’t really have any assets that scream trade me from a contractual perspective. The players with fat contracts were jettisoned in March — Kyle Rudolph and Riley Reiff are examples.
This is a testament to smart general management. When the Vikings encounter contracts that fall by the wayside, restructuring is implemented or the player is waived. In fact, Spielman is championed and notorious — yes, both of those simultaneously — for finagling deals beneficial to the team. Danielle Hunter, Adam Thielen, and Eric Kendricks could tell you all about it.
A reasonable case can be explained for the trading of Alexander Mattison, though. Not because his contract is troublesome — it’s the opposite mentality. Mattison is a talented running back “stuck” behind Dalvin Cook, who placed a stranglehold on the RB1 spot in 2019 at a time when injuries threatened to derail his career. In that vain, Mattison was drafted as an insurance policy. Thankfully for Cook and the Vikings, Mattison hasn’t been needed too much for RB1 duty. On a handful of teams, however, Mattison could handle RB1 responsibilities.
To be clear, this is not an endorsement to trade Mattison. His RB2 acumen is highly advantageous for a team that enjoys running the football. And that is, emphatically, the Mike Zimmer-led Vikings.
Back to Bleacher Report, Gagnon has another player in mind for a trade — cornerback Jeff Gladney.
Aug 28, 2020; Eagan, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive back Jeff Gladney (20) at practice at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
A head-scratcher at first glance, here’s how Gagnon rationalizes the barter of Gladney:
“Will anyone take Jeff Gladney right now? It’s entirely possible the 2020 first-round pick is untradable considering that he faces charges of third-degree felony family violence assault, but the Minnesota Vikings sure as hell should try to get him off their roster. Gladney is absolutely innocent until proven guilty, but the fact is he struggled immensely as a rookie anyway, surrendering six touchdown passes and a 118.1 passer rating on throws into his coverage. Third-round rookie Cameron Dantzler was better, fifth-rounder Harrison Hand has shined this offseason and the Vikes have also added veterans Patrick Peterson, Bashaud Breeland and Mackensie Alexander to the roster. It’ll be hard for Gladney to catch up even if he is cleared off the field, so now might be the time for a Minnesota team in win-now mode to cut bait and see what it can get for him on the trade market. The answer could be nothing, but we’re still talking about a 24-year-old with the tools to become a great corner.“
The glow of Gladney is at its dimmest right now after his turmoil in Texas. The Vikings added oodles of cornerbacks this offseason — Patrick Peterson, Mackensie Alexander, Bashaud Breeland, Tye Smith, Parry Nickerson, Amari Henderson — so it feels like Spielman is firmly planning for life after Gladney.
In a light brighter than football, which NFL franchise sans a Raiders reputation wants to jump into bed with a player beset by legal woes? The allegations against him are not nonviolent like shoplifting or tax evasion. They’re brute-force assault charges that the Texas legal system is adjudicating.
Barring a totally unforeseen exoneration, NFL teams will not trade players or draft capital to take a flyer on Gladney. Gagnon personally wasn’t thrilled about Gladney’s rookie exploits on the field, even if his commentary was a little harsh.
Should anything happen with Gladney this summer pertaining to a roster move, it will be a release, suspension, or complete flip of the conversation regarding the events that transpired near Dallas in April. Don’t hold your breath on a trade.
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