4 Guys the Vikings Could Trade
The Minnesota Vikings have added seven rookies in the 2024 draft class, and 17 more joined via undrafted free agency. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah fulfilled the wishes of his two top coaches. Trading up for J.J. McCarthy certainly made Kevin O’Connell’s day, while the acquisition of pass-rusher Dallas Turner gives defensive coordinator Brian Flores another weapon for his defense.
4 Guys the Vikings Could Trade
After trading up three times to secure those two players, the Vikings are left with only three draft picks in 2025. To generate a few more picks, trading away some players who might not be needed in Minnesota could be a decent alternative.
1. Nick Mullens
Nick Mullens came to the Vikings during training camp in 2022 when the Las Vegas Raiders had no use for him. The Vikings, meanwhile, realized that neither Kellen Mond nor Sean Mannion should be the QB2 in Minnesota. A conditional seventh-rounder was the compensation.
Since then, Mullens has proven to be a solid backup passer, as he kept the offense going for a few games without Kirk Cousins last season. His turnovers are the reason why he isn’t a reliable starter, but there are surely worse backups around the NFL, and his gunslinger ability is fun to watch.
Because Adofo-Mensah signed veteran Sam Darnold and chose McCarthy in the draft, Mullens is just competing with sophomore Jaren Hall for a roster spot. However, another team could use him as the QB2, so the Vikings should try to recoup some draft capital in exchange for him.
2. Akayleb Evans
Like the QB spot mentioned, the cornerback room is unusually crowded, especially considering the recent struggles. The Vikings have returned their entire CB group from last year, but after adding veteran Shaq Griffin and fourth-rounder Khyree Jackson, one or two from the 2023 crew won’t make the roster.
Akayleb Evans is entering his third season with the Vikings, and the former fourth-round selection started last season opposite Byron Murphy. His performances were up and down, with solid play for the most part, but he had a disastrous final quarter of his second campaign.
Still, as a player with starting experience, there could be a market if the Vikings decide to part ways with the fan favorite.
3. Andrew Booth
Another cornerback, fellow 2022 draftee Andrew Booth, is in a similar situation. The Vikings employ one or two too many serviceable CBs.
Booth joined Skol Nation as a highly-touted second-rounder but couldn’t claim a significant role in his debut season. Injuries kept slowing him down, and he had the usual rookie struggles when he saw the field.
The good news is that he showed some flashes in his second season. If the Vikings prefer some other guys, there might be a buyer based on his pre-draft evaluation. Someone who liked him coming out of college could be willing to take a shot on the former Clemson star defender.
4. Lewis Cine
Safety Lewis Cine has had a catastrophic career so far and completes the trio of 2022 draft prospects on this list. He was selected as the 32nd overall pick and, therefore, came with high expectations for Minnesota.
As a rookie, Cine was stuck in special teams and couldn’t earn a starting job. In Week 4’s matchup in London, Cine fractured his leg, prematurely ending his season. After recovering, Cine was exclusively a special teams player in 2023 and even failed to make the gameday roster multiple times.
There won’t be a big market for the former Georgia defender, but some teams might remember their high grade in the draft. It’s hard to envision him impacting a safety room featuring Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, and Camryn Bynum.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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