Bleacher Report Has a Thriller of a Trade Idea for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings should trade for … Michael Jackson.
Bleacher Report Has a Thriller of a Trade Idea for Vikings
That’s the word from Bleacher Report, an outfit that suggested a Jackson trade with the Seattle Seahawks last week.
“The Vikings should be among the teams interested in doing it,” BR’s Alex Ballentine explained about a Jackson-to-Minnesota deal. “Brian Flores’ aggressive blitzing scheme requires cornerbacks who can get up and press opposing receivers. The 6’1″, 210-pounder has the size and length to do just that and could be a fit.”
Minnesota has encountered extreme hardships at cornerback in the last four weeks, and for the price of a 5th-Round draft pick, per Bleacher Report, Minnesota could obtain Jackson, a cornerback. In July, Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson tragically passed away in a Maryland car accident, second-year corner Mekhi Blackmon tore his ACL and will miss all of 2024, and veteran defender Shaquill Griffin is currently hobbled by a leg injury that is considered week-to-week.
“The Seattle Seahawks have a surplus of cornerback talent. The position group was already solid with Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon and Tre Brown,” Ballentine continued. “Then they went and added Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James in the draft. It makes a player like Michael Jackson a little more expendable as they look to build this defense to Mike Macdonald’s liking. Jackson was a starter for the Seahawks in 2022 giving up a passer rating of just 75.1.”
The Dallas Cowboys unearthed Jackson in Round 5 of the 2019 NFL Draft, and he’s played 38 games since, starting 21. Jackson didn’t play much from 2019 to 2021 but experienced an uptick in 2022 with the Seahawks, starting all 17 games that season. Last year, he played about 40% of the time on defense.
Here’s his career resume to date:
- Dallas Cowboys (2019)
- Detroit Lions (2019)
- New England Patriots (2020)
- Seattle Seahawks (2021–present)
And the Pro Football Focus grades:
- 2019 = n/a
- 2020 = 65.5
- 2021 = 84.4
- 2022 = 60.2
Generally speaking, it is unclear if Jackson is on Seattle’s trade block.
Balletine added, “He fell out of favor with the Seahawks coaching staff in 2023, starting just four games, playing 40 percent of the defensive snaps and giving up a passer rating of 95.1. Macdonald’s coaching staff might like Jackson, but trading him would free up snaps for younger players and potentially bring back a draft pick.”
These are the Vikings cornerbacks as of July 29th:
- Byron Murphy
- Shaquill Griffin (Injured)
- Mekhi Blackmon (Injured)
- Akayleb Evans
- Andrew Booth
- Duke Shelley
- Bobby McCain
- NaJee Thompson
- Jaylin Williams
- A.J. Green III
- Dwight McGlothern
Jackson will turn 28 in January.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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