For Vikings Trade, EVERYONE Is Open for Business.
All teams, except the Chicago Bears, are lining up to wheel and deal at the top of the draft.
For Vikings Trade, EVERYONE Is Open for Business.
This isn’t speculative. It’s in living color. The Minnesota Vikings won’t be deprived of trade partners following various comments from last weekend — and that’s following a couple of weeks of Vikings fans wondering which, if any, team would do business at the top of the draft.
Minnesota needs a quarterback after Kirk Cousins jettisoned to the Atlanta Falcons, and according to the evidence, a trade as the avenue to do so will be available.
Here’s the evidence.
Washington Commanders
Pick No. 2
The Trade Target:
Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye
The Evidence:
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said on NFL Network last week, “I would anticipate (GM Adam Peters) fielding these calls as it goes through, and usually it’s not necessarily later than No. 6 or 7, but those people who are usually in the top four or five, there’s somebody that somebody has targeted, and I think it’s mostly like ‘Well, I’ve got to take a shot!'”
He added, “A lot of times it’s no, like ‘Thanks for calling’ but it is part of the process, and you have to do your due diligence to listen and to find out just to make sure, like is there something that you just couldn’t refuse. I think anybody in personnel with the skills of Adam, they’re going to listen, but there’s only so many things that you’d consider, and it’d better be really good.”
New England Patriots
Pick No. 3
The Trade Target:
Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, or J.J. McCarthy
The Evidence:
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told the Boston Globe, “I know everyone likes to think they have the special formula to picking players. But honestly, the guaranteed way to win is to accumulate more picks. So if we don’t feel convicted (about whom to draft) at No. 3, we are willing to do that, as well.”
Mayo continued, “If we take a quarterback at three, that means we are (convinced) that this player is really the future of this organization. … Going back to your point that we said earlier, there are multiple pieces on this team that we want to fill. So, if you can gather more picks, that definitely helps you out. I can put more chips on the table.”
Arizona Cardinals
Pick No. 4
The Trade Target:
Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy
The Evidence:
Asked by reporters if he’d be willing to trade down from Arizona’s No. 4 spot, general manager Monti Ossenfort didn’t hold back. “There will be a big neon sign that says ‘open.’ I don’t like it blinking — that kind of messes with my eyes — but we’ll always have the conversation. We may not get to the point where the deal makes sense, whether it’s at 4 or anywhere we’re picking, but we’re always going to have the conversation,” the executive replied.
Ossenfort elaborated, “And if it makes sense and it’s attractive to building our team, then it’s something we’ll certainly consider no matter where we’re at in the draft.”
Los Angeles Chargers
Pick No. 5
The Trade Target:
Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy
The Evidence:
New Charger boss Joe Horitz said last week about incoming trade calls, “We’ll see how it goes. It’s still early, and the phone is not ringing yet because we’re still a month or so out.”
“But I’ve had teams ask me and are gauging my interest. Certainly, as I said before, I’m open to all options when it comes to the draft. I’m not locked into any one spot — forwards, backwards, staying right there,” Horowitz explained about his team’s draft strategy.
So, there you have it. Every team in the orbit of the Vikings trade necessities is willing to listen to deals. So much so that there could be competition for the Vikings’ trade package.
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 Vikings 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.
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