The NFL’s extended trade deadline means the Vikings will play one more game, hosting the Colts next Sunday night, before deciding on possible roster upgrades for 2024.
Last week, they were the NFC’s last unbeaten team and could have been 6-1 or even 7-0 with games against the Lions and Rams. Winning both would have brought momentum into the Colts game, possibly prompting calls for a major trade deadline move.
Instead, they’re 5-2 after close losses to teams with skilled quarterbacks and play-callers. Their defense was plagued by pre-snap penalties, including three against the Rams, putting them a half-game behind the Lions and tied with the Packers.
These losses and the season-ending knee injury to left tackle Christian Darrisaw have raised concerns among fans. Midseason replacements for such injuries are rare, creating a key challenge.
Those discussions are happening now,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said Friday, noting options for the offensive line. “We’re looking to get the best five guys in there.”
The Vikings may explore options for an offensive tackle, defensive tackle, cornerback, or even a skill position player. They’ll have to be strategic, given limited 2025 draft picks. A major trade, if any, might look beyond this season.
Two years ago, the Vikings traded for tight end T.J. Hockenson after a 6-1 start, losing tight end Irv Smith Jr. for the season. They sent the Lions a 2023 second-round pick and 2024 third-rounder for Hockenson, who wasn’t due for free agency until 2024.
We’re always trying to build the best team within our constraints,” General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said after the 2022 trade. Hockenson offered immediate value and future flexibility.
In 2022, the Vikings’ ambitions were tempered by upcoming decisions on veterans like Eric Kendricks, Adam Thielen, and quarterback Kirk Cousins. Even after a 13-4 season, they moved on from Kendricks, Thielen, Za’Darius Smith, and Dalvin Cook.
Hockenson signed a four-year, $66 million extension in August 2023 and will return from a torn ACL to play against the Colts. Like 2022, the Vikings may be open to bold moves within certain limits.
The Vikings’ current roster, one of the NFL’s oldest, keeps them competitive post-Kirk Cousins, with Sam Darnold playing well. But with many veterans on one-year contracts, the team’s window isn’t fully open.
Decisions loom on free agents like cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy Jr., Shaq Griffin, and running back Aaron Jones. Role players like Kamu Grugier-Hill and Jihad Ward are also free agents, and safety Camryn Bynum’s contract coincides with veteran Harrison Smith’s nearing end. If QB J.J. McCarthy recovers from injury, a quarterback change may be needed.
Cousins’ departure could yield a third-round compensatory pick, and the Vikings have three draft picks in 2025. With over $60 million in cap space, they’ll need answers at cornerback, running back, wide receiver, and on defense, plus a temporary replacement for Darrisaw.
If they make a significant trade, they may seek players with immediate and future value. For example, Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II, a 24-year-old with a 2025 fifth-year option, could fit the scheme and be worth a late first-round pick.
As they return from a mini-bye, the Vikings will weigh options to strengthen a team that, despite two losses, remains a playoff contender in the NFC.
I need to push us to reach our potential this year because I believe that’s special,” O’Connell said after Thursday’s loss to the Rams.
The Vikings’ path to realizing that potential involves balancing short-term needs and long-term goals, with future draft picks, player health, and young talent development all factoring into the puzzle as the trade deadline nears.