The 2 Fun Vikings Wrinkles of the Stefon Diggs Trade
Formerly a fifth-round draft choice of ex-general manager Rick Spielman, Stefon Diggs emerged as one of the league’s top wideouts. Regardless of who was throwing him the ball, he produced, including perhaps the most memorable play in franchise history when he sealed the deal in the postseason versus the New Orleans Saints. The so-called Minneapolis Miracle was born.
The 2 Fun Vikings Wrinkles of the Stefon Diggs Trade
In the 2020 offseason, though, half of the explosive WR duo Adam Thielen/Stefon Diggs bolted. Diggs grew frustrated with the offense, complaining about the lack of involvement. A missed practice session during the 2019 campaign drew a hefty fine. His cryptic messages on X (formerly Twitter) will never be forgotten.
At the saga’s end, Spielman shipped his star wideout to Buffalo. The Bills needed a receiver for struggling quarterback Josh Allen, while the Vikings needed some extra cap space. They immediately replaced him, using the selection they received in return to bring Justin Jefferson to Minnesota.
Four mostly productive seasons later, the Bills sent Diggs to Houston.
Ironically, the Texans used a draft pick from the Vikings to acquire the 30-year-old. When Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Vikings GM, traded for the 23rd overall pick to fuel the necessary trade negotiations for a new rookie quarterback, he sent them two second-rounders in return, one in 2024 and one in 2025.
The 2025 version of Minnesota’s second-round pick now belongs to the Bills. Four years after leaving the Vikings, he can’t escape the Vikings.
Another fun aspect is that the Vikings could be in a similar position to the Texans in one year. The one missing piece? The purple team must find this year’s C.J. Stroud. Minnesota’s brass undoubtedly wants to select a quarterback in the draft on April 25; that’s why the second first-rounder was acquired, and that’s why they didn’t match Atlanta’s offer for Kirk Cousins.
Suppose they do that, and the rookie immediately looks like a true franchise quarterback like Stroud. In that case, the organization can go all in and use the passer’s cheap rookie contract to acquire expensive but productive players. Once Cousins’ and Danielle Hunter’s dead cap hits are off the books, the Vikings are slated to have massive room under the salary cap next offseason, so strengthening the roster is possible.
Of course, that is much easier said than done. Thirty-two teams are looking for a young star signal-caller, but only a handful truly employ one.
With Caleb Williams expected to be the first player off the board, the options are Jayden Daniels (LSU), Drake Maye (North Carolina), and J.J. McCarthy (Michigan). It now depends on the spot the Vikings can acquire in the draft order and the player(s) drafted before they are on the clock. Head coach Kevin O’Connell, a former NFL quarterback, was, in part, hired to identify the new franchise quarterback, and April 25 should be the day to use his knowledge.
Diggs has recorded 9,995 receiving yards and 67 touchdowns in his nine-year career. His journey will continue in Houston. The Texans are scheduled to face the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2024 unless the game is held in London.
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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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