4 Trades Vikings Need to Make to Keep Up with the Powerful Lions

What was once a picturesque start to the Minnesota Vikings’ season, with them sitting atop the NFC North standings and the conference standings at 5-0, has now suddenly taken a turn for the worse. After their first blowout loss of the year to the rival Lions, which put Detroit ahead in the division, they came off a short week to fall to the Rams, although not without some controversy.

Now 5-2 on the season, the Vikings are still within playoff contention, but the division could slip away. Detroit looks like a potent force, with a win over Minnesota sandwiched between a pair of 38-point wins over the Cowboys and Titans, respectively. With the NFL trade deadline approaching in just over a week, the Vikings have to be buyers and make the right moves.

They almost certainly won’t be able to accomplish everything on their wish list, but the Vikings’ trade goals should look something like this as they look to reclaim the NFC North and make the playoffs. These players would certainly help that cause if Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can bring them to Minnesota despite the organization’s relatively limited draft capital.

The loss of Christian Darrisaw this season cannot be underestimated as it is a major blow for the Vikings. He was one of the best offensive players in the league and one of the true stalwarts of his position in the league. David Quessenberry is an experienced backup, but addressing this issue should now be a top priority for Minnesota.

And someone like Carolina Panthers lineman Brady Christensen would make sense given the Vikings’ situation. Carolina isn’t going anywhere this season and is expected to be a big seller at the deadline. A player like Christensen, who at 28 is in the final year of his rookie contract, could be a viable low-cost, high-impact option for the Vikings.

Christensen’s best attribute is his versatility, having spent significant time at tackle, guard and center during his time with the Panthers. If Kevin O’Connell and the team are confident that Quessenberry will step in at left tackle to replace Darrisaw, Christensen could be an extremely valuable player who can be moved around as needed, something the Vikings could use in the wake of injury. .

Over the past couple of offseasons, we’ve seen Minnesota’s front office make a concerted effort to improve the secondary with veterans like Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy Jr. and even Shaq Griffin. And the defensive team, led by Brian Flores, is having one of its best years. However, against the Rams, we saw how a lack of depth can hurt the Vikings defense down the stretch.

So, acquiring a player like Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II would be an ideal move for the organization. Newsome is in the fourth year of his rookie deal, and Cleveland has already picked up a fifth-year option on its former 26th overall pick. But even after their Week 8 win, the Browns must remain in selling mode to try to rebuild the franchise after the Deshaun Watson debacle. Selling Newsom may be part of that.

His 2025 cap hit would make him an interesting trade commodity, as the Browns could either be looking to get a lower price in the draft cap if the Vikings take his money, or they could decide to eat some of that salary. Either way, Adofo-Mensah will have the opportunity to negotiate and add a player who, while coming off a down year, has performed at a high enough level overall to be considered a valuable addition to a better and better-coached player. defense in Minnesota.

The veteran construction of the Vikings’ defensive line was a genius budget move this season. Jerry Tillery, Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard aren’t the players we’ll be telling our grandchildren about as we bring them to their knees over the years, but they were a solid force on offense.

As with the secondary, problems arise when you look at the depth of Minnesota’s roster. Seventh-round rookie Levi Drake Rodriguez and UDFA Taki Taimani are the only depth pieces on the defensive line right now, so targeting veteran Calais Campbell, even at 38 years old, would make perfect sense.

Despite his age, Campbell still provides a monstrous presence on the defensive front. He is the fourth-highest-rated interior defender in the league according to PFF entering Week 8 still bringing pressure as a pass rusher and still stopping the run. With the Dolphins’ season now seemingly winding down, the Vikings could take advantage of a team that has no real need for a veteran and find an elite rotation piece at a reasonable price.

In particular, given the potential displeasure of Jordan Addison (who knows what his cryptic “Free 3” social media post actually meant), the Vikings could use a different linemate for their star pass catcher, Justin Jefferson. The impending return of TJ Hockenson will certainly help greatly with that, and Addison will almost certainly put his concerns to rest. Even so, another backup option for Sam Darnold could help boost the offense.

So why not see a reunion with veteran Adam Thielen? The 34-year-old is now, like Christensen, languishing with the Panthers and spending the twilight of his career on a team that will continue to suffer losses. It has been reported that Carolina may be able to sell off parts quite aggressively, and Thielen is one of the smarter options to move given his age.

That being said, he is coming off a 2023 season in which he caught 103 passes for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. He still has plenty left in the tank and could prove to be quite the value in any deal, especially after missing Week 8 with a hamstring injury. But having spent nine seasons previously with the Vikings, he could come in and immediately diversify the passing game in a way that would make Kevin O’Connell drool at the opportunities it could open up.