Leading up to the Green Bay Packer game, it appeared as though the Minnesota Vikings would be sellers at the NFL trade deadline. Rick Spielman had already traded Yannick Ngakoue to the Baltimore Ravens, suggesting the Vikings were embracing the a full-blown rebuild. Instead, the Vikings pulled off an unlikely win on Sunday, giving their season a glimmer of hope.
The Minnesota Vikings and The NFL Trade Deadline
There were plenty of trade rumors surrounding key, veteran players on Minnesota’s roster. Anthony Harris, for instance, has commonly been mentioned as a trade candidate. The conventional wisdom was that the Vikings would be willing to move him for a third-round pick. The issue, of course, is that the Vikings have very little depth in their secondary. Minnesota is currently navigating injuries to several of their corners: Mike Hughes, Holton Hill, Cameron Dantzler, Kris Boyd, and Mark Fields. These injuries make Harris even more valuable. Another important factor rests in the simple fact that if they don’t sign Harris after this season, Minnesota will likely receive a third-round compensatory pick. All of these factors played into Minnesota’s decision to retain Harris.
Riley Reiff was another common name in trade rumors. The former first-round pick has quietly been having a really strong season. Reiff is Pro Football Focus’s 38th-best tackle, a ranking that is primarily the result of strong pass blocking. Reiff would certainly make some sense for a team like the Tennessee Titans, a team that has lost their starting left tackle to injury. There may have been offers for Reiff, but Spielman, quite evidently, didn’t feel as though moving him was in his team’s best interest.
While it’s somewhat surprising that the Vikings didn’t trade any of their veteran players, it’s unsurprising that they didn’t bring anyone in. At 2-5, the Vikings are still a long way from the playoffs. Partnering the record with their less than $5 million in cap space (per Over the Cap) makes it easy to see why no one was brought in. Perhaps the only option that made some sense would have been Desmond King. King, who was traded to the Titans for a sixth-round pick, is only twenty-five years old and has consistently received strong grades from PFF. His age, contract, and position should have made him an attractive candidate for Minnesota.
Looking Ahead
Even though there weren’t any trades, the Vikings may still be interested in adding to their roster. After acquiring King, the Titans moved on from Johnathan Joseph. At 36, Joseph is definitely toward the end of his career. Even still, the Vikings have a real need at corner, and a veteran may be exactly what the team needs. When Joseph played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Mike Zimmer was his defensive coordinator. Signing him to the veteran minimum would make a lot of sense for the Vikings.
All things considered, it was a boring trade deadline for the Minnesota Vikings. In some ways, this is a good thing. By keeping their veteran core together, the Vikings will try to replicate the handful of teams who have come back from a 1-5 start to get into the playoffs. Indeed, the Vikings are ready to keep moving forward, complete with their depleted secondary, 2-5 record, and a stubborn hope that they can make the postseason.
