Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; New Orleans Saints cornerback P.J. Williams (26) and cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) defend against Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) in the fourth quarter during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Saints 28-25. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings don’t have much draft capital to conduct any trades this summer, but if there’s a will, there’s a way — evidently.
Bleacher Report published four high-profile trade ideas last weekend, and Minnesota was included with a swap of draft picks for New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore.
The 28-year-old has spent seven seasons in New Orleans, most of them productive, and with the Saints routinely embroiled in salary cap hell, offloading Lattimore might check some boxes for long-term budget planning.
The price for Lattimore according to Bleacher Report? A 2026 3rd-Round pick and a 2025 5th-Rounder. “If the long-time Saint in Lattimore is made available, expect brass in Minnesota to kick the tires. Adding impact talent on defense has been a goal of Minnesota over the last few drafts,” BR’s Ryan Fowler wrote. “The team spent high capital to add corner Andrew Booth Jr (second round) and safety Lewis Cine (first round) in the 2022 draft, but neither player has remotely lived up to expectation in their first few campaigns.”
This is Lattimore’s Pro Football Focus resume since entering the pros in 2017:
2023: 67.4
2022: 64.7
2021: 77.3
2020: 54.1
2019: 68.1
2018: 73.3
2017: 86.1
Fowler continued, “Minnesota has $26.3 million in 2024 cap space remaining and possesses $54.5 million in projected 2025 cap room. Meaning, the team has more than enough room to fit Lattimore’s contract while maintaining assets to allocate elsewhere.”
For now, Minnesota has Byron Muphy, Shaquill Griffin, Mekhi Blackmon, Akayleb Evans, and Andrew Booth on tap to vie for playing time in 2024. A Lattimore trade would assuredly plop into the CB1 role, with the others fighting for CB2 and CB3.
“Akayleb Evans took a step last fall, and the team looks to have hit on 2023 third-rounder Mekhi Blackmon, but Lattimore would immediately become the Vikings’ top perimeter stalwart. Whether he starts opposite of Byron Murphy Jr or Shaq Griffin, slotting in Lattimore’s physical style of play within Brian Flores’ defense could be a match that jigsaws seamlessly,” Fowler concluded.
Brian Flores’ defense ranked 32nd per completion percentage allowed in 2024 — a dreadful statistic — so Vikings fans would welcome a Lattimore trade. It’s unclear, though, if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah would part ways with another notable draft pick (the 2026 3rd-Rounder) after leveraging ample future capital on the trade that fetched Dallas Turner in April.
If Adofo-Mensah prefers the free-agent route, which would cost no trade capital, veterans like Stephon Gilmore and Xavien Howard remain unsigned.
The only knock on Lattimore is injury. He’s missed 50% of all games in the last two seasons. On the whole, however, he’s a four-time Pro Bowler.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.