3 Trades That Would Change Everything for the Vikings
Buyers, sellers, or nothing at all? That’s the question Minnesota Vikings fans must ponder before Tuesday, wondering if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will work his usual magic before the NFL trade deadline on November 4th.
The Minnesota Vikings have a couple of days to decide if they want any piece of the trade market, and these three players should be on their radar.
Entering Week 9, the purple team has a 3-4 record, and by Tuesday, it could be in sell mode — or totally reinvigorated to buy after defeating the Detroit Lions.
If the latter occurs, here’s who the Vikings should target.
Trade Ideas That Could Save the Vikings’ Season
Plug-and-play performers who can also help in the long term.
1. Aaron Brewer (C) | MIA
Theoretical Trade Price: 4th-Round Pick
Brewer began his career as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans in 2020, really hitting his groove in Miami over the last few years.
Miami fired its general manager on Friday, and because its season has tumbled into futility, it could hold a fire sale before Tuesday. If so, the Vikings could call on Brewer, as their center, Ryan Kelly, is on injured reserve due to multiple concussions this season.
Here’s Brewer’s Pro Football Focus resume as a pro:
- 2025: 76.5
- 2024: 74.8
- 2023: 71.6
- 2022: 59.9
- 2021: 57.9
- 2020: 76.2
Brewer is an elite run-blocking center, with pretty damn commendable pass protection, too.
2. Alontae Taylor (CB) | NO
Theoretical Trade Price: 4th-Rounder Pick
Taylor was an “older” rookie during the 2022 NFL Draft, entering the league at 24 years old — similar to how Mekhi Blackmon came in for Minnesota a year later.
Now 26 and turning 27 in December, Taylor isn’t exactly a long-term forever prospect, but he’s a proven, capable corner. His rookie deal is expiring soon, and all signs point to him testing free agency. With Kool-Aid McKinstry taking over his role in New Orleans, the Saints seem ready to move on.
It doesn’t help that the Saints might be the NFL’s worst team this year. They’re expected to sell before the deadline, and Minnesota could take advantage. The Vikings still need a stable cornerback for the future alongside Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers — and Taylor fits that profile as a CB3.
Jeff Okudah’s situation only adds to the need. He’s dealing with his second concussion of the year, and when he is on the field, quarterbacks are picking him apart. A move for Taylor wouldn’t be flashy, but it would be functional. He’d serve as a CB3 behind Murphy and Rodgers, offering steady depth at a fair price.
Taylor owns a 64.3 PFF grade in 2025 — respectable, not elite — and his next contract won’t break the bank. For a midseason pickup, that’s exactly the kind of target the Vikings should be chasing.
3. Denzel Ward (CB) | CLE
Theoretical Trade Price: 3rd-Round Pick
The former fourth overall pick (2018) has reached four Pro Bowls in his career and is a beacon of consistency. He’ll turn 29 next offseason, meaning his prime may be over, but he could be just what the doctor ordered if the Vikings’ self-professed Super Bowl window remains open for a few years.
Ward has a 93.5 passer-rating-agaist through eight weeks of 2025, down from 50.0-75.0 during his career’s heyday. Still, Ward remains a Top 15 NFL cornerback and could be trusted to fluster the other team’s best wide receiver.
A to Z Sports‘ Brandon Little on Ward and a possible Browns trade:
Cleveland is 2-6 in what’s shaping up to be a long season filled with bumps and bruises. The Browns have some young pieces worth getting excited about who’ve shown great promise this year, but at the end of the day, they’re a bad team with a good defense. Denzel Ward is a key part of that defense as their top cornerback on the outside. A former first-round pick, Ward is 28 years old and under contract through 2027.
Ward’s team control is one of the main reasons Cleveland would want to keep him. The former Ohio State star typically misses a couple of games each season — mostly due to concussions or soft tissue injuries — but when healthy, he’s been a reliable presence since he was drafted. If the Browns move on from Ward, it would be because they believe it could help accelerate their rebuild.
Ward isn’t having his usual lockdown season, and that could mark the start of a slight decline as he approaches 30. If the Browns think that’s the case, acting now with a trade would make sense. I wouldn’t trade Ward, as Cleveland would just be creating another hole they don’t need to fill yet.
There’s also the Browns angle here: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah worked in Cleveland before taking the top job in Minnesota. He knows Andrew Berry, and at 2-6 before the deadline, Berry could sell players to prepare for 2026 and beyond.
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