3 Vikings Who Could Be Traded
The Minnesota Vikings usually fire off at least one trade during the summer under general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
Trade rumors may heat up in Minnesota. Here are three Vikings who could be dealt before the start of the regular season, and why each might draw interest.
They’ve conducted none since the draft.
Therefore, a deal or two could be on the way, so here’s a look at a few Vikings players who could be shipped elsewhere in the next few weeks. They’re listed in ascending order (No. 1 = most likely player to be traded).
3 Vikings Players Who Could Be on the Trade Block
If Adofo-Mensah trades any current players, these men make the most sense.
3. Mekhi Blackmon | CB
Let’s get this out of the way: Blackmon, on the whole, is unlikely to be traded by Adofo-Mensah. The third-year defensive back has recently healed from a torn ACL, and this year is all about his comeback.
However, there is a world where the Vikings secretly love Dwight McGlothern, Zemaiah Vaughn, and/or Ambry Thomas so much that Blackmon becomes expendable. Minnesota could probably fetch a late-round pick for Blackmon.
That deal may not be worth the squeeze, but Blackmon had to be mentioned for full disclosure. It’s a bit strange that the team signed Jeff Okudah in March, and that he passed Blackmon on the depth chart so seamlessly.
VikingsWire‘s Andrew Harbaugh wrote about Blackmon and the secondary this week, “The Vikings have several positions where the water is murky, and they are trying to decipher what is going to happen with it. One of the positions is cornerback, where the team has some new faces thanks to some players getting healthy and others being signed.”
“They brought in Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Rodgers in free agency. They get Mekhi Blackmon back from injury, and with those pieces, they believe their secondary should be in good shape. However, for those on the outside looking in, the position remains one that needs to be solved with all those pieces playing a part.”
Blackmon recorded a sweet 71.8 Pro Football Focus grade as a rookie in 2023.
“The Vikings’ secondary is likely to be an issue early in the season until they find their cohesion,” Harbaugh continued.
“Once they do, and a leader from this group emerges, they should be in good shape. Thankfully, Brian Flores remains their defensive coordinator so his pressure and scheme will make up for a lot of their shortcomings.”
2. Ty Chandler | RB
If Minnesota doesn’t want to continue the Ty Chandler Experience in 2025, it will probably waive him on August 26th, promote Zavier Scott to RB3, and that’ll be that.
But there’s a small possibility that the Vikings could ship Chandler to an RB-needy team. As an example, former NFL quarterback Tee Martin served as an offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Volunteers from 2016 to 2018, and Chandler attended for a segment of that tenure. Martin now works on the Baltimore Ravens’ coaching staff. Chandler to Baltimore could check some boxes.
Think of it this way: if Minnesota has already decided to cut Chandler in 10 days, why not grab a 7th-Round pick in the process?
The Vikings Age‘s Tyler Miller opined on Chandler Thursday: ‘The Vikings have had Ty Chandler on the roster for a few years now as a backup running back and kick returner. They have been trying everything they can to get him a job in the backfield, but with each passing year, it seems like his play just keeps declining, which is unfortunate.”
“Chandler finished Saturday’s contest with five carries for five yards to go along with three receptions for 20 yards. Chandler, for whatever reason, lacks the burst and explosiveness he showed when Minnesota originally drafted him. Enter 26-year-old Zavier Scott into the Vikings backfield.”
1. Blake Brandel | G
At this juncture of the NFL calendar, teams often realize they need guards. Brandel started all 17 games for the Vikings last year and played quite well with Christian Darrisaw next to him. His production plummeted, though, when Darrisaw was lost for the season.
Our own Janik Eckardt on Brandel in June: “Brandel came into the league as a tackle and has some experience as a backup there. Justin Skule was signed in free agency, and he is the expected replacement for Darrisaw until he’s ready for his comeback, but should something happen there, the Vikings might want to have another experienced reserve.”
“Depth is crucial along the offensive line. Too often, teams go into scramble mode when a guy is suffering an injury. Brandel might fetch a late-round pick, and there would be some cap relief, but he should stick around as the top reserve, unless one of the other backups is turning heads in the summer. Brandel is 28 years old and has been a career Viking.”
There could be a scenario where a team sends a 6th-round pick or so for Brandel, and Minnesota realizes that it’s content with backup interior offensive linemen Michael Jurgens, Joe Huber, and Henry Byrd.
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