Vikings Sure Sound Open to Draft Trades
The Minnesota Vikings have four picks entering the 2025 NFL Draft later this month — a 1st-Rounder, a 3rd-Round compensatory pick from Kirk Cousins’ departure, a 5th-Rounder, and one selection in Round 6.
Vikings Sure Sound Open to Draft Trades
Because of the limited capital, many Vikings and draft pundits have forecasted a trade by Minnesota, shipping its 24th overall pick elsewhere for more spins of the wheel later in the event.
And after general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s comments this week at the NFL’s league meetings, a trade sounds more possible than ever.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s Words This Week
Adofo-Mensah told Vikings Entertainment Network this week about his trade strategy, if applicable: “Obviously, the capital is something people talk about, but every draft pick has a commensurate value that you can kind of break up into lots of picks.
“If we wanted to pick 15 times, we could. There’s a way to do that.”
Don’t panic: Picking 15 times was merely hyperbole. But Minnesota should be considered a candidate to trade back once or twice from pick No. 24.
Adofo-Mensah added, “We’re just going to be smart, selective, try and find the best players that impact our team. But also knowing, how do you best move around the board to get the best total collection of players? That’s how we’ll approach it.
“I think we’ll be a ‘best available’ kind of approach and mindset. I’m excited about that. I challenged our group, we have grand ambition, and maybe it’ll be the coolest story ever that you went into the draft with four picks and you did something great with it.”
Best player available is the popular fan sentiment this go-round, especially after Adofo-Mensah addressed his roster holes in free agency. He might trade back and pick the best player available at that spot.
Where’d All the Picks Go?
Adofo-Mensah gave up pick No. 23 in 2024, pick No. 167 in 2024, a 2025 3rd-Round pick, and a 2025 4th-Round pick in exchange for pick No. 17 last draft. And before that, he sent his 2024 2nd-Rounder to the Houston Texans to move back into Round 1 — for the pick that later landed outside linebacker Dallas Turner.
The Vikings paid a 2nd-, 3rd-, and a 4th-Rounder from 2025 to jump six spots in Round 1 for Turner.
That’s where most of the 2025 draft class went — Dallas Turner.
Ironically, Minnesota could do trade business this year with Jacksonville, recouping some of its capital from the Turner trade.
Who the Vikings Can Target after a Trade Back
With a trade back between 3 and 20 spots, the Vikings could reasonably target these players on draft night(s):
- Trey Amos (CB)
- Tyler Booker (iOL)
- Maxwell Hairston (CB)
- Derrick Harmon (DT)
- Walter Nolen (DT)
- Shavon Revel Jr. (CB)
- Malaki Starks (S)
- Grey Zabel (iOL)
If they conduct no trades, these men might be the best option at No. 24:
- Jahdae Barron (CB)
- Tyler Booker (iOL)
- Nick Emmanwori (S)
- Kenneth Grant (DT)
- Derrick Harmon (DT)
- Walter Nolen (DT)
- Malaki Starks (S)
- Grey Zabel (iOL)
Adofo-Mensah will have options.
Mock Draft Community Predictions
Because Minnesota has no smoking-gun roster need, predicting the first pick from Adofo-Mensah is all over the board. Mike Tannenbaum, formerly a general manager of the New York Jets, published a post-free agency mock draft last week, and for Minnesota, Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron was the selection.
“Getting Barron at this point in the first round would be outstanding value for Minnesota. He could excel in Brian Flores’ defense after posting 20 pass breakups and eight interceptions over the past three seasons. Barron’s versatility would be key for the Vikings, who signed Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Rodgers and re-signed Byron Murphy Jr. this month,” Tannenbaum wrote.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper connected Minnesota to Barron at pick No. 24 two weeks ago and noted, “Minnesota made some big splashes in free agency as it tries to take the NFC North from the Lions. Among them were deals to re-sign Byron Murphy Jr. and bring in Isaiah Rodgers, but I’m not sure the Vikings should — or will — be done adding to the cornerback room.”
“Barron, meanwhile, picked off five passes last season, showing his ball skills. He ran a 4.39 at the combine, showing his speed. And he played more than 600 snaps at both slot corner and outside corner over the past two seasons, showing his versatility. I really like this fit.”
Most mock drafters at the moment forecast a defensive back, either a cornerback like Barron or Maxwell Hairston from Kentucky. The premiere safeties, Starks and Emmanwori, could be in play, too, though many fans have PTSD from the Lewis Cine selection three years ago.
The draft is 23 days away.
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.
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