Questions Answered: Vikings Trade Prediction, the OL Strategy, Colts’ Threat
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the October 29th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: Vikings Trade Prediction, the OL Strategy, Colts’ Threat
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Q: If you had to predict a Vikings trade as a buyer at the deadline, what would it be?
Answer: Let’s do two: a conditional late-rounder for Adam Thielen — or — a 2026 pick swap for Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II.
The Panthers are in a selling mode and mood, already dealing wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday. Thielen should be next, and he can “get got” for next to nothing. He’s a 34-year-old wideout playing his last or second-to-last season.
Then, Kwesi Adofo-Mesnah worked for the Browns when Newsome joined Cleveland. He could inject youth into the Vikings CB room, which is desperately needed.
We say Thielen or Newsome II.
Q: Do you think the Vikings will shuffle the offensive line with Christian Darrisaw on the shelf for the rest of the season?
Answer: We think they will roll with LT David Quessenberry on a trial basis — with a quick hook to Blake Brandel at left tackle while inserting Dalton Risner at his natural LG spot.
And if Risner gets the call, with Brandel moving to LT, the offensive line would look like this:
- LT: Blake Brandel
- LG: Dalton Risner
- C: Garrett Bradbury
- RG: Ed Ingram
- RT: Brian O’Neill
That’s not elite, but it might be the best-case scenario with Darrisaw out.
However, it’s probably a Quessenberry audition first. We shall see.
Q: What scares you the most about the matchup with the Colts this Sunday night?
Answer: The Colts’ offensive line. It’s the best in the business.
Through eight weeks, the Colts’ offensive line boasts a collective 81.3 pass-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus, a slight notch ahead of the Green Bay Packers at 81.0. For curious minds, Minnesota ranks 15th per the same metric — a 70.0 team grade.
Inconveniently, the Vikings have encountered pass-rushing woes in back-to-back weeks against the Detroit Lions and [especially} Los Angeles Rams. So, this is the state of play: Minnesota is a team that desperately needs to repair its defensive pass rush — and it will match up versus the best offensive line in all of football.
It’s not a good get-right matchup for a recently quiet defensive front.
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 MIN 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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