The 4 Offseason Trades the Vikings Absolutely Botched
At the time, the Minnesota Vikings seemed well-intentioned when pulling off a litany of offseason trades, but after evidence from 13 weeks of the regular season, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah bungled the transactions.
The Minnesota Vikings have four offseason trades that now appear badly mishandled, with each move creating bigger roster and value concerns.
Adofo-Mensah, in theory, could still find a way to salvage the trades with unforeseen and fantastic draft picks. Given his track record, however, that doesn’t feel likely.
Here’s a look at Adofo-Mensah’s trade gaffes from the 2025 offseason, ranked from bad to worst.
Bungled Trades by the Vikings in 2025
The Vikings were taken to the cleaners.
4. Mekhi Blackmon to Colts for 6th-Round Pick
In late August, the Colts acquired Blackmon from the Vikings for a 6th-Rounder, an odd development because anyone with any interest in the Vikings knew the cornerback room was slim with talent. Blackmon missed all of 2024 with a torn ACL, evidently damaging his long-term outlook in Minnesota.
Blackmon played a lot in the preseason, leading fans to believe he could be waived during roster trimdowns. Starters usually rest in the preseason under Kevin O’Connell, almost to a fault. Instead, Minnesota shipped him to Indianapolis for the late-round pick and remained steadfast that Jeff Okudah could succeed as the CB3.
Well, Okudah has played dreadfully this season and is on injured reserve due to two concussions.
Blackmon, meanwhile, has played about 70% of all Colts’ defensive snaps and has a 73.0 passer-rating-against to his name. He’s not a superstar, but he’s a delightful CB3 — which Minnesota needs right now and possibly next season.
Blackmon was worth more than a 6th-Rounder to a CB-lite franchise.
3. Harrison Phillips to Jets for 6th-Round Pick
Ever seem to you like the Vikings need a bit more run-stuffing beef in the middle of the defensive line? They had it. His name was Harrison Phillips.
During the most recent offseason, the Vikings signed two prominent defensive tackles: Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. The intent was righteous: two former Pro Bowlers to once and for all shore up Minnesota’s longstanding DT drought.
Well, Allen and Hargrave are rather mid, and neither stops the run overly well.
Phillips, meanwhile, does torment running backs — he’s always done that — ranking as Pro Football Focus‘ 13th-best run-stuffing defensive tackle through 13 games. Phillips isn’t a perfect player or a Pro Bowler, but he does excel at run defense.
He might’ve helped the Vikings put the clamps on Kenneth Gainwell, Kimani Vidal, and the Chicago Bears’ tailbacks in Week 12.
The Viking Age‘s Adam Patrick panned the Phillips trade a month ago. He remarked, “Trading Harrison Phillips to the New York Jets now looks like a massive mistake by the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately, it continues to look like Minnesota made a big mistake by not figuring out a way to keep Phillips on its roster this year.”
“We already mentioned what his current PFF run defense grade is this season, but it looks even more significant when placed compared to the current PFF run defense grades of Allen and Hargrave. Through seven games, Allen ranks 92nd among qualifying NFL defensive linemen in PFF run defense grade, and Hargrave ranks 111th. Trading Phillips didn’t make a ton of sense when the Vikings did before the start of the 2025 season, and now after the team’s first seven games, it makes even less sense.”
Phillips was worth more than a 6th-Rounder to a defense that has some run-plugging problems.
2. Ed Ingram to Texans for 6th-Round Pick
This trade felt like a heist in March — in Minnesota’s favor.
Adofo-Mensah shipped Ingram to Houston for a late-round pick, which he flipped soon after for halfback Jordan Mason. The ex-San Francisco 49ers‘ runner has performed well in spots this season, but the aforementioned O’Connell, on the whole, doesn’t like to run the football. Or, at the very least, O’Connell abandons the run the moment his team falls behind on the scoreboard.
Of course, down in Houston, Ingram has completely and utterly turned his career around. He struggled in Minnesota, but he has not struggled in Houston. Go figure.
Ingram is the NFL’s sixth-best guard per PFF. He has a Pro Bowl-worthy resume this season. Unbelievable.
1. Adam Thielen to Panthers in Deal Centered around 4th-Rounder
The number-one-with-a-bullet-gaffe.
Along with Thielen, Minnesota received a conditional 2026 7th-Round pick and a 2027 5th-Round pick in exchange for a 2026 5th-Round pick and a 2027 4th-Round pick. Carolina will own Minnesota’s 2027 4th-Rounder no matter what
The fatal sin? Including a 4th-Rounder — a pick that may actually mean something because some franchises hit on 4th-Rounders for the long haul — in a deal for a 35-year-old wide receiver.
The trade felt a little clumsy at the time, but most forgave the Vikings for two reasons: a) It was for Adam Thielen, a franchise god b) Minnesota needed Thielen for WR2 duty to start the season with Jordan Addison suspended.
In the end, the “bring Thielen back for vibes” resulted in his request for a roster release, which Adofo-Mensah granted this week. And Thielen never caught on as a WR2, WR3, or WR4. Thielen posted WR6 numbers with 8 receptions for 69 yards — which might be an insult to other WR6s in the NFL.
Adofo-Mensah included a 4th-Round draft pick in a deal for a player who caught 8 passes and no longer works for the organization.
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