Dec 10, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler (32) warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings have a 6-2 record at the NFL regular season midpoint, enjoying second place inside the NFC North. If the postseason started today, Minnesota would head to Arizona for a date with Kyler Murray and the Cardinals.
And on Tuesday, the NFL’s trade deadline came and went sans another deal from the Vikings. The franchise acquired running back Cam Akers and left tackle Cam Robinson in the last three weeks, but that was it for swaps.
And four “losers” became apparent after the trade deadline. These are those, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = primary loser).
Most 6-2 teams would expect to be Super Bowl contenders through nine weeks. However, because the world sees that Minnesota is led by Sam Darnold at quarterback, no prominent expert really puts the Vikings in a class with the Kansas City Chiefs, for example.
But if Minnesota wanted to be part of that tier, it might’ve needed to sell some mid- and late-round assets for an extra impact player. MLB teams do this regularly, and the NFL will follow suit sooner or later. The trade deadline should be an arms race, and on Tuesday, Minnesota made no last-minute deals to improve the interior defensive line or cornerback spots.
Let us explain.
Now, that plan is dead.
If Cam Robinson plays enough snaps in the Vikings’ remaining 10 games, Minnesota will be charged a 4th-Round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, deposited in the Jaguars’ piggybank.
Minnesota is already dealing with severely limited draft capital in the 2025 NFL Draft, and until the Robinson trade, 2026’s allotment remained largely untouched. Now, however, a 4th- or 5th-Rounder will be missing, and some perceive Robinson as “just a 10-game rental.” He’ll hit free agency in March.
It’s worth noting, though, that Adofo-Mensah could snag a compensatory draft pick for 2026 if Robinson bolts via free agency in 4.5 months.
When Minnesota acquired Cam Akers last month, most expected him to fill RB3 responsibilities. But the VIkings’ Sunday Night Football dub proved Akers could be morphing into RB2.
That could leave Ty Chandler with an RB3 demotion.
Not long ago — in February and early March — Chandler could’ve been nominated for RB1 duties. But Minnesota signed Aaron Jones and later traded for Akers. While Chandler will receive some touches in the offense, Akers could be in the process of a subtle RB2 takeover.
Why else would Minnesota trade for him in back-to-back seasons? RB3s shouldn’t be that vital. But Akers is, suggesting he’s on tap for RB2.
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.