Vikings HC Sets Record Straight on Trade Talks
Entering the 2025 NFL Draft two weeks ago, the Minnesota Vikings owned just four picks after trading most of their capital to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a deal the year prior.
Vikings HC Sets Record Straight on Trade Talks
Many fans believed general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah would trade down on draft night, hoping to recoup some precious picks and grab more throws at the dartboard.
He ultimately did no such thing, standing pat at pick No. 24 and choosing Ohio State offensive guard Donovan Jackson. And thanks to head coach Kevin O’Connell, folks now know a little bit more about the trade process that evening.
Vikings, Indeed, Entertained Trading Down
Kevin O’Connell hopped on The Rich Eisen Show this week and confirmed Minnesota’s tentative interest in trading down — basically due diligence.
“I think Kwesi was doing a great job. And Rob (Brzezinski) and our folks in there, kind of, we kind of knew we’d be right in the mix there of potentially a team either wanting to come up and maybe select a quarterback, maybe another position,” O’Connell told Eisen.
“But we also have identified some players in a cluster there at certain spots, that if one of those guys were there, it was going to take a certain amount of capital via the trade to even be thinking about moving, and we fielded some calls. We had some conversations and some good dialogue. And ultimately decided to pull the card and draft Donovan Jackson.”
Minnesota probably could’ve moved down about eight spots or so on the board and flipped the capital into a 3rd- and 4th-Round pick if it saw fit.
O’Connell added, “He was one of those players that we kind of went into the draft and hoping he would be there, and really see a role fit for him and our team that we’re really excited about.”
Staying Put and Picking Donovan Jackson
The lasting memory from Minnesota’s 2024 campaign lingers, a playoff defeat at the Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings produced an unsightly one-and-done postseason experience, allowing 9 sacks on quarterback Sam Darnold, a playoff record. The gaffe was enough to inspire change, so Adofo-Mensah didn’t get cute with any trading back and instead selected Jackson.
Now, because Minnesota onboarded Jackson two weeks ago, from left to right, the trenches with feature Christian Darrisaw (left tackle), Donovan Jackson (left guard), Ryan Kelly (center), Will Fries (right guard), and Brian O’Neill (right tackle).
It’s the best offensive line on paper for Minnesota since the departures of Steve Hutchinson and Bryant McKinnie over a decade ago.
Who Might the Vikings Have Targeted after Trade Back?
Wondering who Minnesota might’ve targeted after a trade back in open for interpretation, but most onlookers assumed the team wanted a safety, cornerback, defensive tackle, or guard.
That would make a hypothetical list of targets look like this:
- Malaki Starks (S, Baltimore Ravens)
- Tyleik Williams (DT, Detroit Lions)
- Maxwell Hairston (CB, Buffalo Bills)
- Nick Emmanwori (S, Seattle Seahawks)
- Will Johnson (CB, Arizona Cardinals)
- Benjamin Morrison (CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
But Minnesota said no thanks and took Jackson.
Trading Down Might Be Dead for Vikings
Adofo-Mensah controversially traded the first pick of his professional career to the division rival Detroit Lions three years ago and used that transaction to later select safety Lewis Cine and cornerback Andrew Booth.
Oofta.
It’s no wonder the guy quit trading back, and in fact, in his three drafts since those two blunders, Adofo-Mensah has not wheeled and dealed down the board in the opening round. The man might’ve learned his lesson, and it’s probably time to stop forecasting swaps with other teams in Round 1 to move down on draft night.
He used the tactic once, it failed miserably, and that practice might be kaput.
PurplePTSD on the Draft
Janik Eckardt at our partner site recently sized up Minnesota’s draft logic and Jackson: “With those few picks, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah also changed his philosophy. Last year, he picked two highly talented players with the potential to be franchise changers. Both were only 21 years old and came from Michigan and Alabama, and therefore had played in big games in college. J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner surely possess a high ceiling due to their intriguing physical tools.”
“This year, Donovan Jackson was picked 24th overall. The one similarity is the big school. Jackson won a national title with Ohio State. However, he doesn’t have that type of ceiling and is viewed more as a steady, solid pick, rather than the upside-chasing moves last year. Unlike Turner and McCarthy, he should be an immediate impact player for the Vikings, but a guard can’t become the face of a franchise like a passer and a pass rusher can.”
In short, Adofo-Mensah, like most people at their jobs, is evolving.
Eckardt added, “A year ago, Adofo-Mensah used his late-round picks to acquire older prospects with plenty of experience and production. Walter Rouse played 52 college games, Michael Jurgens 61, Will Reichard 60, and Levi Drake Rodriguez 50.”
Jackson and roughly two dozen other rookies report to rookie minicamp on Friday in Eagan.
You must be logged in to post a comment.