ESPN Reveals 3 Pieces of Draft Intel for Vikings
The countdown has narrowed to three days for the 2025 NFL Draft, an event when the Minnesota Vikings will pick four times in three days.
ESPN Reveals 3 Pieces of Draft Intel for Vikings
Minnesota has no screaming roster needs, but the team’s fans expect a defensive tackle, offensive guard, cornerback, or safety to be the first pick. On Thursday night, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will reveal his plan for the four rookies.
And thanks to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, onlookers received a few purple clues about the draft to start the week.
Vikings Trade Down Is Likely
Because Minnesota has just four selections, it has been labeled as a candidate to trade down for months. Schefter doesn’t disagree with the event three days away.
For curious minds, Adofo-Mensah has this plight, just four picks, because he donated most of his 2025 rookie class to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans for the draft pick that fetched pass rusher Dallas Turner one year ago.
Schefter wrote about teams that could be looking to trade on Thursday: “One of the biggest reasons for the lack of movement is what evaluators perceive to be the lack of blue-chip quarterbacks; for most teams, there isn’t a quarterback outside of Cam Ward (Miami) worth trading up for. The Browns inquired about the possibility trading up from No. 2, and the Giants at No. 3 were even more persistent in their efforts to try to trade up for the top pick with Tennessee.”
“The Titans have resisted those overtures and are expected to hold on to their pick. The Steelers (No. 21) are among the teams interested in moving back from their first-round slot. That list also includes the Jaguars (5), Panthers (8), 49ers (11), Falcons (15), Seahawks (18), Buccaneers (19) and Vikings (24), who currently have four picks, the fewest any team.”
A few quarterbacks — Jaxson Dart (Mississippi), Tyler Shough (Louisville), and Jalen Milroe (Alabama) — have risen on big boards in the last week, and that could help Minnesota if a team wants to secure a passer at pick No. 24.
Schefter added, “There has been, however, a lack of teams willing to trade up — at least so far. Denver is one of those: The Broncos have made inquiries about moving up in Round 1, according to sources. But there aren’t many others. This always could change when players start falling and teams are on the clock. Draft weekend is also a busy time for trades of players already on rosters.”
Determining a specific trade partner for Minnesota is tricky. Yet, teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills have represented popularly rumored dance partners — the Bills pick at No. 30, and the Chiefs at No. 31. The Vikings, for example, could do business with the Bills, slide down six spots, and snatch two 4th-Rounders from Buffalo (Picks 109 and 132). The deal would balance on most trusted trade calculators.
The Philadelphia Eagles, too, cannot be ruled out because the Super Bowl champions are positioned to trade up for players they consider luxury items. Adofo-Mensah could send his 24th pick to the Eagles for Picks No. 32, 96 (Round 3), and 134 (Round 4), for instance.
UDFA Market Will Be Key for Adofo-Mensah
This draft is loaded with talent at running back and defensive tackle, especially, and the undrafted free agent market could be loaded accordingly. UDFAs are already a prime priority for Adofo-Mensah — that’s how he found Ivan Pace Jr. two years ago — so 2025 could be the maximum playground.
Schefter noted, “One source predicted this is going to be one of the most talented lists of priority free agent (PFAs) in recent years. The class is filled with players who won’t get drafted but have draftable grades on them. It’s two COVID classes and underclassmen combined together. Prospects who normally are late-round picks now will go undrafted and become PFAs.”
“The Vikings have only four picks, so they would figure to sign as many of these players as they could. The Falcons, who have five picks, also will be in the mix.”
It’s not breaking news that Adofo-Mensah will sprint to the UDFA phone on Saturday, but this year won’t be the first year when he sits out.
Kirk Cousins Reunion Possible via Trade
Perhaps a stomach-churner for some fans, a Kirk Cousins trade to Minnesota cannot be ruled out, according to ESPN.
“Atlanta has asked for any acquiring team to pay $20 million of the $45 million worth of guarantees left on Cousins’ contract. To date, no has been willing to do that, and no team is expected to be willing to. But what happens this weekend — and which franchises come out of the draft with or without rookie quarterbacks — could influence how much guaranteed money a team might be willing to absorb on Cousins’ contract,” Schefter explained.
“There is a feeling around the league that a team, whether it is the Vikings or Steelers, might be willing to pay down roughly $10 million. How much any team would be willing to pay also would influence the compensation it gives up.”
He named-dropped the Vikings specifically, probably because the club has no backup quarterback other than Brett Rypien, who is in line to support J.J. McCarthy if no trades or free-agent signings materialize.
“The higher the payment, the lower the draft compensation; the lower the payment, the higher the draft compensation. The Falcons and Cousins, who has a no-trade clause, recognize their future is not together, and how it will play out could very well be influenced by this draft,” Schefter added about the Cousins sweepstakes.
Cousins, of course, quarterbacked Minnesota for six seasons from 2018 to 2023.
Don’t Forget QB Sam Howell
Finally, Minnesota wasn’t referenced as a landing spot for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell, but if Adofo-Mensah is in the market for Cousins, the logic should apply to Howell, too.
“It still could wind up trading Sam Howell while entertaining the possibility of drafting another quarterback, per sources. Once Seattle signed Lock, it opened up the possibility of a potential trade of Howell, whom the Seahawks traded for just over a year ago in a deal with Washington. Howell is available, and if the Seahawks wind up trading him this weekend, it would open up the possibility of drafting just the third quarterback during Schneider’s tenure,” Schefter detailed Howell’s trade outlook.
Howell delivered approximately 4,000 passing yards and 26 total touchdowns as the Washington Commanders’ starter in 2023.
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