Possible Destinations for Veteran Vikings on the Trade Block
Mitchel Massman
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The Vikings have repeatedly stated they are not rebuilding. This has been emphasized from the top-down, but reports are coming out that many veteran Vikings are on the trade block. However, We should not be surprised by these reports. Jason La Canfora of CBS reported this:
“And the sense among some of the execs I spoke to is that the Vikings seem to understand that they aren’t in position by and large to hit home runs with these trades (which are more like salary cap dumps). Receiver Adam Thielen, linebacker Eric Kendricks, defensive tackle Michael Pierce, even running back Dalvin Cook are names making the rounds. I’d be surprised if a few were not moved.”
– Jason La Canfora | CBS Sports
When a new regime takes over a team, they have no emotional or professional attachments to any player. This makes it all the more likely the front office attempts to dump expensive veteran contracts. Although, this comes with its own bag of issues. Once a team begins to shop their expensive veterans, other front offices take advantage by giving low-ball offers.
With the Vikings reportedly shopping Thielen, Kendricks, Pierce, and Cook, who is most likely to be traded? What would the Vikings get in return?
Erik Kendricks Is Most Likely to Be Traded
Kendricks probably has the most value of any of these players. While he is 30 years old, he still has a lot left in the tank. All teams want a good middle linebacker who can defend against the pass and can shoot gaps to make plays in the run game. His contract is also capable of being extended or restructured to lower his cap hit.
If Kendricks was traded, where does he go? There are several teams in need of linebackers, including the Titans, Dolphins, Jets, and Eagles. It’s difficult to imagine a scenario where the Dolphins or Jets trade for a player like Kendricks. These teams have a recent precedent of trading away, not trading for players. However, the Titans and Eagles could be more aggressive to get a guy to improve their defense.
Mike Vrabel would be a good candidate to make a move on Kendricks. Because Kendricks has a veteran contract and is an older player, the compensation would be reduced. However, the Titans could part ways with a 3rd round pick.
The Vikings would receive pick 90 in exchange for Kendricks. They would also free up $7.5 million in cap space.
Other Veterans and Their Destinations
The other veteran Vikings possibly on the move would likely not bring the same value as Kendricks. Although, the purpose would be to clear as much cap space as possible to use in Free Agency. Jason La Canfora also believes that Kirk Cousins could be on the block. However, we will focus on Thielen, Pierce, and Cook here.
Adam Thielen – Thielen is an older wide receiver and has had some injury issues in the last couple of years. A team like the Raiders could be a good trade partner. The Vikings would get a 3rd or 4th round pick and clear an additional $5.8 million in cap space.
Michael Pierce – Pierce is a difficult player to evaluate. Big nose tackles do not have as much value as other positions. Although, with the Broncos trading away Shelby Harris, they will need a big nose tackle to replace. A 5th or 6th round pick is a reasonable trade value for Pierce. Vikings would clear another $6.5 million in cap space.
Dalvin Cook – Trading Cook is the least likely scenario. Running back value is extremely low throughout the league. His cap number makes it even more difficult. However, a team like Bucs could trade a 4th or 5th round pick for him. This would only provide the Vikings with $2.9 million in cap space and a dead cap of more than $9 million.
At the end of the day, fans need to recognize that the new leadership could be unpredictable. They have no ties to any player. Everyone and every deal could be on the table.
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