Blockbuster Trades the Vikings Could Pull Off in the Draft

Dustin Baker   |  

Mar 28, 2026

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With back-to-back general managers, Rick Spielman and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, trades were frequent for the Minnesota Vikings. Neither of those men works for the Vikings anymore, but there’s a chance that the “new” guy, interim boss Rob Brzezinski, pulls off a blockbuster trade on Night No. 1 of the NFL Draft. This is a peek at the possibilities.

Minnesota has the tools to make noise if it wants a splashy draft-weekend move.

The Vikings have nine draft picks this year and a couple of tradeable players, at least in theory.

Five Aggressive Trade Ideas That Would Shake Up the Vikings’ Draft

Blockbuster trade ideas for the Vikings, ranked in order of realism (No. 1 = most realistic blockbuster trade).

5. Trade for JAX WR Brian Thomas

No one really knows if Jordan Addison will succeed in Minnesota — or if he’ll flame out because of the next arrest. Trading for Thomas hedges that bet, and the Vikings would take the mystery and crapshoot nature of the draft out of the 18th pick.

Minnesota can then decide to keep a three-deep setup indefinitely or trade Addison when the time is right.

In any event, Thomas is reportedly on the trade block after a quiet sophomore campaign.

4. Trade up for Ohio S Caleb Downs

Harrison Smith might retire, and even if he doesn’t, the Vikings still need a safety for the long haul. There’s a small chance that Downs — the best safety in next month’s draft — tumbles a smidge due to injury fears, and every team that passes up, well, he gets more attainable for the Vikings.

Some consider Downs a future Hall of Famer. And while it’s not wise to trade up for a non-premium position like safety, it is wise to draft Hall of Famers.

In this scenario, Brian Flores and Co. realize that Downs is a game-changer, donating the 2nd-Rounder to Cincinnati for the pick that fetches Downs.

3. Trade for NYG DT Dexter Lawrence

Lawrence is still only 28 years old; if a team trades for him, they’ll get a full contract’s worth of Pro Bowl production.

The phenom nose tackle is probably gettable for the equivalent of a late 1st-Rounder or early 2nd-Round pick, so in this proposal, Minnesota opts for the sure thing in Lawrence, while grabbing the Giants’ 2nd-Rounder, which it could spend on a cornerback like Colton Hood (Tennessee) or running back like Jadarian Price (Notre Dame).

Lawrence would cook in Minnesota, sandwiched between Jonathan Greenard, Dallas Turner, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Jalen Redmond.

2. Trade up for Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love

Perhaps the most fun option on the list, the Vikings put their running back drought to bed, trading up the board for Love.

Minnesota hasn’t drafted a game-changing tailback since Dalvin Cook, and that happened nine years ago. Like the safety proposal with Downs, it’s usually taboo to trade up for a running back. But who really cares if the end game is pairing Love, this class’s best halfback, with Kyler Murray, Justin Jefferson, and Jordan Addison for the next five years? Would you be mad?

Trading for Love would force the Vikings to be run-centric, at least more than they are now, and that could, alas, unlock Kevin O’Connell’s offense.

1. OLB Jonathan Greenard to the Eagles

For now, the momentum has shifted for Greenard to remain in Minnesota — the Vikings probably would’ve traded him by now if he wanted out over a contractual dispute.

But let’s pretend that the thesis is wrong, and the Vikings offload Greenard during the draft. Philadelphia’s outside linebackers right now are Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt. The Eagles will have Super Bowl hopes again in 2026 after their version of a down year; they’ll need more EDGE help than Smith and Hunt to do it.

Here, Minnesota pries the Eagles’ 1st-Rounder away while Philadelphia gets a guaranteed-to-be-good pass rusher, a 3rd-Rounder, and a 5th-Round scratch off. The irony here is that Minnesota might turn around and draft an EDGE defender with the pick.

Greenard could land a big payday in Philadelphia, and Minnesota would lean into the youth movement at OLB with a new guy and Dallas Turner, who is the fourth-youngest player on the Vikings’ roster.

By Dustin Baker

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His debut thriller, The Motor Route , is out now. He ... More about Dustin Baker