Purple Rumor Mill: 2 More Vikings Trades — Not 1, Kyler Murray, Christian Wilkins
Dustin Baker
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VikingsTerritory’s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle each week. All the week’s Vikings rumors are lassoed and plopped in two spots — articles on Saturday and Sunday — for review. Today is the March 30th edition.
Purple Rumor Mill: 2 More Vikings Trades — Not 1, Kyler Murray, Christian Wilkins
Remember — rumors are rumors. What you read on weekends in these pieces is what the world is talking about pertaining to the Vikings, not necessarily items that will come to fruition.
Here’s the first batch of the week.
Rumor: The Vikings may trade not once but twice more between now and the end of the draft’s 1st Round.
This theory came from CBS Sports, and that site got really funky this week with its next trade prediction for the Vikings, spitballing not one but two more trades afoot. In short, CBS Sports’ R.J. White claims Minnesota will first do business with the Los Angeles Chargers for their No. 5 pick — and then turn around to flip that pick to the New England Patriots for the No. 3 prize.
White wrote about the first installment of the trade, the deal with Los Angeles, “Vikings receive No. 5 (520.41 points) Chargers receive No. 11 and No. 23 (560.10 points). It really feels like the Vikings have signaled they’ll do what it takes to get into position to draft a quarterback. I think it’ll ultimately result in making two moves, a la the Carson Wentz trade of 2016 that saw the Eagles move from No. 15 to No. 8 to No. 2.”
The working theory on his deal would suggest that the Patriots want a Top 5 pick, and Minnesota doing business with Los Angeles first would do the trick.
White then explained the follow-up trade — yes, a third deal: “Vikings receive No. 3 (658.52 points). Patriots receive No. 5 and 2025 first-round pick. In both these deals, the Vikings are sacrificing enough value that the other teams should be open to accepting. It feels like a lot giving up three first-round picks; the 49ers did exactly that and also included a future third to get from No. 12 to No. 3 three years ago, but those future firsts are worth less in our chart than the No. 23 overall pick.”
If White were correct, Minnesota would presumably select Drake Maye (North Carolina). And if not Maye, Jayden Daniels (LSU), if all of the draft analysis pointing toward Washington’s ardor about him proves to be incorrect. There’s also a chance that the Vikings’ front office utterly adores Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and picks him at No. 3.
White concluded, “Still this is a relatively simple solution for the Vikings to consider in their quest for a quarterback. The Patriots lose out on drafting a QB but may not be in the best position as an organization to take one anyway, and their consolation prize will be a blue-chip receiving talent they also desperately need, as well as what could be a pretty high first-round pick next year with the Vikings likely starting a rookie under center.”
This idea checks out. It should classified as a worthwhile rumor.
Rumor: Minnesota could trade for Kyler Murray during the draft.
This one? Not so much.
Ex-New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum published a mock draft on Tuesday featuring a Kyler Murray trade to the Vikings. He explained his thought process, “From the Vikings’ standpoint, everything I said earlier about Murray’s durability still matters, but he’s cheaper and younger than Kirk Cousins would have been to re-sign and gives them a chance to compete this season rather than rebuild.”
Tannenbaum sent Murray and a 3rd-Rounder to the Vikings for the 11th overall pick.
The trade idea wouldn’t work for two reasons:
- The Cardinals would be on the hook for gigantic dead cap funds — about $40 million.
- The Vikings must pay Justin Jefferson; if they wanted an expensive quarterback, they would’ve re-signed Cousins.
- Arizona has said that Murray is its quarterback 100%.
This one is fun, but it won’t happen.
Rumor: General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah pursued DT Christian Wilkins in free agency, to no avail.
KSTP’s Darren Wolfson explained on SKOR North’s Mackey and Judd Show this week, “O’Connell alluded to this on Monday, just how much work, how much the Vikings were in on some of these defensive tackles, namely Christian Wilkins. Like, what the Raiders gave Wilkins, I think surprised the Vikings. Those 48 hours leading into the official start of free agency, like I’m telling you, the Vikings were feeling very very good about their chances of landing Christian Wilkins.”
What could have been.
This should also indicate that one of the Vikings’ first few draft picks next month will probably be a defensive tackle.
Bleacher Report Locks in Official Vikings Draft Prediction
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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