NFL.com Recommends Spicy Draft Trade for Vikings
The volume of Minnesota Vikings trades might dwindle with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah removed from the organization, but NFL.com’s Eric Edholm believes Minnesota should still shoot for the stars in the draft, envisioning a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles to add an extra 2nd-Round pick.
The idea would cost the Vikings premium positioning, but it opens the board in a fascinating way.
Edholm revealed his spiciest draft trade ideas this week, and Minnesota was not immune.
Who Minnesota Could Target if It Moves Down to No. 23
Fans would mostly approve this one, depending on the draftboard at the time.
The Idea from NFL.com
For starters, here’s the package outlined by Edholm:
Vikings Get:
2026 1st-Round pick (No. 23 overall)
2026 2nd-Round pick (No. 54 overall)
Eagles Get:
2026 1st-Round pick (No. 18 overall)
2026 3rd-Round pick (No. 82 overall)
2026 6th-Round pick (No. 196 overall)
Edholm explained the deal in Vikings terms: “The timing of the front-office shakeup in Minnesota means Rob Brzezinski will run this draft before the Vikings pick Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s full-time replacement. My guess is, the Vikings will certainly veer from how they’ve drafted in recent years. Brzezinski is a former Rick Spielman colleague, and Spielman was always game for a good move back.”
“He did this multiple times as Vikings GM, and it wouldn’t stun me if Brzezinski takes a similar approach. Play the hits, baby. I suspect the Vikings don’t view themselves as being one player away from contention, so this has the feel of a hit-it-down-the-fairway draft from Brzezinski. There are enough needs that sliding back gently in Round 1 and moving way up in Round 2 sounds like pretty solid business.”
Vikings Possible Targets at No. 54
With the Edholm take fresh in the digital stratosphere, here’s who the Vikings might target around No. 54, which can be considered brand new scouting territory for Vikings fans.
Absolutely every position would be fair game for Minnesota at No. 54. Here’s how the board could look:
- Keith Abney II, CB (Arizona State)
- Chris Bell, WR (Louisville)
- Germie Bernard, WR (Alabama)
- Chris Brazzell, WR (Tennessee)
- Jennings Dunker, OT (Iowa)
- Jake Golday, LB (Cincinnati)
- A.J. Haulcy, S (LSU)
- Anthony Hill Jr., LB (Texas)
- Lee Hunter, DL (Texas Tech)
- Gabe Jacas, EDGE (Illinois)
- Chris Johnson, CB (San Diego State)
- Christen Miller, DL (Georgia)
- Derrick Moore, EDGE (Michigan)
- Dangelo Ponds, CB (Indiana)
- Jadarian Price, RB (Notre Dame)
- Keionte Scott, CB (Miami (FL))
- Eli Stowers, TE (Vanderbilt)
- Treydan Stukes, CB (Arizona)
- R Mason Thomas, EDGE (Oklahoma)
- Josiah Trotter, LB (Missouri)
The Vikings would sacrifice five spots of Round 1 draft capital and 3rd-Rounder to pick one of those men on the list.
What Do the Eagles Get?
On the Eagles’ angle, Edholm explained his trade, “For Philadelphia, this trade-up suggestion doesn’t come with one specific target. Maybe the Eagles want a pass rusher. Perhaps a pass catcher, with rumors that they’ll trade A.J. Brown wafting in the wind. How about Lane Johnson’s eventual replacement at right tackle? There’s also a starting safety job open. This would be more about opportunity for Howie Roseman, the ultimate opportunist on draft day.”
“No GM has appeared as flexible during live draft action, ready to swing a blockbuster (e.g., giving the No. 18 overall pick to Tennessee in exchange for Brown in 2022) or make shorter jumps (going from No. 12 to No. 10 for DeVonta Smith in 2021, going from No. 10 to No. 9 for Jalen Carter in 2023) to get their guy. If a top-10 player on the Eagles’ board slips into the teens, watch out.”
The theory would put Roseman in the proper territory to draft one of these men with the Vikings’ pick:
- Omar Cooper Jr., WR (Indiana)
- Spencer Fano, OT (Utah)
- Keldric Faulk, EDGE (Auburn)
- Makai Lemon, WR (USC)
- Caleb Lomu, OT (Utah)
- Akheem Mesidor, EDGE (Miami (FL))
- Kadyn Proctor, OT (Alabama)
- Dillon Thieneman, S (Oregon)
- Jordyn Tyson, WR (Arizona State)
It’s worth noting that Philadelphia really, really needs EDGE help; its current main pass rushers are Jalyn Hunt and Nolan Smith. That might explain why Vikings outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard has been so frequently associated with the Eagles in the trade rumor mill.
The Board at No. 18 vs. No. 23
From the Vikings’ perspective, who might they miss out on by trading down five spots? That’s probably an Oregon thing, believe it or not. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq figure to fly off the board between No. 18 and No. 22, if not sooner, so to accommodate Edholm’s trade idea, Minnesota may say “no thanks” to those two Ducks.
What’s more, the Vikings could factor Greenard into Edholm’s trade proposal; head coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday that he expects Greenard to remain with the Vikings in 2026 but stopped short of fundamentally ruling out a trade.
The NFL Draft is about three weeks away.
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