Vikings Could Regret One Big Decision
The Minnesota Vikings drafted Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson in Round 1 three weeks ago, and most fans rejoiced.
The Vikings can’t change it now, but one draft decision may come back to haunt the organization.
The team’s faithful have called for offensive line reform dating back over a decade, so the decision to repair the trenches once and for all was applauded.
And while Jackson appears to be an outstanding pick — all signs point to him as a Week 1 starter — one can’t help but wonder what might have been: being the team that traded with the Atlanta Falcons.
Atlanta surrendered a 2026 1st-Round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for the draft pick that netted Tennessee EDGE rusher James Pearce Jr.
Missing Out on the Falcons Draft Trade
When the dust settled, Atlanta fired up this meaty trade with Los Angeles:
Rams Received:
46th Overall Pick (Terrance Ferguson, TE)
242nd Overall Pick (Konata Mumpfield, WR)
2026 1st-Rounder
Falcons Received:
26th Overall Pick (James Pearce Jr., EDGE)
101st Overall Pick (Later Traded)
Minnesota had just four picks entering the draft, and many believed it would be the team to concoct a deal like the Rams did with Atlanta.
And had general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did business with Falcons boss Terry Fontenot, he could’ve been the proud owner of the 46th pick — which may have been used on Michigan cornerback Will Johnson — a 7th-Rounder, and the grand prize: Atlanta’s coveted 1st-Round selection in 2026.
Standing Pat for Donovan Jackson
Of course, the Vikings did none of that.
They remained firm, refusing to trade down just for the sake of more picks and committing to Jackson, whose resume at Ohio State suggests he’ll fit like a glove on Minnesota’s offensive line.
If Jackson turns into a dependable starter without warts, this what-could-have-been, starry-eyed Falcons revisionist history won’t matter. Nobody will care if Jackson morphs into a multiple-time Pro Bowl.
But if Jackson is merely decent, and the Rams strike gold with Atlanta’s pick next year, well, remember this article.
What Could Have Been with the Falcons’ 1st-Rounder
Here’s the kicker: Atlanta is on tap for seven or eight wins this season, according to oddsmakers.
That pick — the one now owned by the Rams — will probably be a Top 15 selection in 11 months. What’s more, there’s always a chance that the Falcons’ 2025 campaign goes pear-shaped, and if so, Los Angeles could feast on a Top 10 pick.
Atlanta is not some giant powerhouse forecasted for big things in 2025. They’re mid. Possessing a mid team’s draft pick — it’s unprotected, as this is not the NBA — is wise roster-planning.
No Way of Knowing if Vikings Were Offered Falcons Trade.
It’s worth noting that folks likely won’t know for sure if this Falcons trade proposal was even available to Minnesota. Perhaps Atlanta’s war room conjured the idea after Adofo-Mensah picked Jackson at No. 24.
Remember, though, that Fontenot traded up to No. 26 — only two spots beneath Minnesota — and if he were willing to donate his 2026 1st-Round to Los Angeles, the Vikings, in theory, should’ve been right there in the thick of things.
If they were not, why?
Bleacher Report on Falcons’ Trade
Bleacher Report‘s Gary Davenport recently named Atlanta’s trade for Pearce Jr. one of the top-six worst offseason moves of 2025.
He explained, “Before we go any farther here, an important note—this doesn’t have anything to do with edge-rusher James Pearce Jr. as a player. The 6’5″ 245-pounder is wildly athletic and has a high potential ceiling in the NFL. After finishing 31st in the league in sacks for the second time in three years, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris told reporters that the team entered the 2025 draft hell-bent on improving the pass rush.”
“The problem is the price Atlanta paid to draft a player who was reportedly off multiple teams’ draft boards entirely.”
Not for nothing — the Vikings play the Falcons this season in Week 2 under the lights of Sunday Night Football.
Davenport added, “The Falcons gave up their 2026 first-rounder to move back into Round 1 and select Pearce — after already using their own first-rounder on Georgia EDGE Jalon Walker. This happened just one pick after the Giants pulled off a similar move but only surrendered a pair of Day 2 picks.”
“Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said the team didn’t lose a first-rounder. They just moved next year’s pick up a season. But it can also be argued the Falcons overpaid significantly for a young player who is nowhere near a sure thing.”
Overall, when the Rams step up to the plate and draft their 1st-Rounder from Atlanta next April, consider what might have been.
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