5 Vikings Veterans as Potential Trade Candidates
With Kwesi Adofo-Mensah at the helm, a trade can never be overlooked. The man has pulled off twenty-two swaps since taking over less than three years ago. There’s little indication that he’ll slow down anytime soon.
To that end, there are some Vikings veterans who look like potential trade candidates. Over these past couple offseasons, Minnesota has moved players out in late August to recoup draft capital and cap space. A couple years ago, it was with veteran OL addition Jesse Davis (Steelers). Last year, it was with Vederian Lowe (Patriots). Does something similar happen at the end of August (or even earlier)? If so, who could could be considered as trade candidates?
The Vikings Veterans as Trade Candidates
Trade Candidate #1
Patrick Jones II, Edge Rusher
2024 Cap Hit: $1,549,576
The 25-year-old edge rusher faces an uphill battle.
Drafted by the former regime, Patrick Jones II is at best the fourth option but could have a tough time making the roster even if there are five or six guys kept around. Last season, Jones played in all seventeen games while starting four but only had a single sack.
The upside for an acquiring team is that he’s young, cheap, and has NFL size at 6’4″, 264. In 2021, the Vikings scooped him up at 90th overall. Minnesota wasn’t the only team to think that he was worthy of being a mid-round selection. Does one of those teams still have some belief in him?
He had 4 sacks and 8 TFLs as a backup in 2022.
Trade Candidate #2
Dan Feeney, Guard/Center
2024 Cap Hit: $1,800,000
Teams love versatile depth. Feeney has a role to play, but one wonders if it will be in Minnesota.
Blake Brandel can play all over the line; he was recently extended on the kind of deal that speaks to Minnesota’s belief in his ability. Dalton Risner has been brought back. Ed Ingram played left guard in college and has since become an NFL right guard. Michael Jurgens — The Technician — has college experience at center and left guard.
If the Vikings opt for those four along the interior — as well as C1 Garrett Bradbury — will there be room for Mr. Feeney? If not, is someone out there willing to offer a late-round pick for a lineman with 112 career games and 65 career starts? Back in 2017, the 30-year-old Feeney was a 3rd-Round selection. Teams could do worse along the iOL.
Trade Candidate #3
Trent Sherfield, Wide Receiver
2024 Cap Hit: $1,790,000
The early word isn’t overly encouraging for Mr. Sherfield. Alec Lewis of The Athletic talked about Minnesota’s WR3 competition and offered this thought about the veteran receiver: “Trent Sherfield is another option, but he didn’t blow the staff away in OTAs.”
The journeyman has been getting chances with some of the more notable offenses in the NFL, picking up work with the 49ers, Dolphins, and Bills before his stop with the Vikings. Maybe a former team would welcome the veteran back into the fold. He’s 6’1″ and weighs 205.
Minnesota will have Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Brandon Powell in the receiver room. Jalen Nailor is a good bet, too. Does someone like Thayer Thomas or Jeshaun Jones snag the WR5 spot? If so, what happens to Sherfield?
Trade Candidate #4
Jihad Ward, Edge Rusher
2024 Cap Hit: $1,790,000
Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel are providing the veteran leadership and experience. Dallas Turner is locked-in as the high upside rookie. Minnesota thus has a maximum of two or three open spots at edge rusher.
Ward offers tremendous size at 6’5″, 285, a build that’s closer to a 3-4 defensive end than 3-4 edge rusher. His versatility is likely appealing to Minnesota, heightening his chance of sticking around since he could slide into the 3T/5T role on passing downs. Last year, he had 5 sacks as a Giant.
The problem for Ward is simply that Minnesota may opt for youth. Andre Carter has a good chance of sticking around and then there’s the presence of UDFA adds Bo Richter and Gabriel Murphy. Do the young guys get kept around instead of the 30-year-old Ward?
Trade Candidate #5
Nick Mullens, Quarterback
2024 Cap Hit: $2,230,000
The problem with Nick Mullens is not that he’s a bad quarterback. Quite the opposite is true; the man can play even if he has a bad interception habit. The issue is that in the post-Kirk Cousins era, the Vikings are totally overhauling their QB spot. There seems to be little room for Mr. Mullens.
Only 29, Mullens has several years of productive football ahead of him and teams would only be signing up for a single season of his contract. He’s affordable, experienced, and unafraid of stepping into a starting lineup. Teammates are going to like him and so will the coaches.
Teams should be very interested in adding him.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.
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